Dead Daddy
by L J Clark
Summary: 3rd Sequal following Dead and Alive and Dead till the end. Sookie is pregnant but how will she survive the new challenge in her chaotic life?
1. Chapter 1

Dead Daddy

A/N: I don't own the Southern Vampire Mysteries or any of the characters. Sole copyright belongs to Charlaine Harris.

Chapter 1

"I love you so much Eric. I am so happy." He pulled me up his body so that I could nuzzle into his neck.

"I love you too, _minn _sváss [my beloved]. That was incredible. You are incredible but what is wrong? Why are you crying?" I pushed up on my hands to look down into his worried face.

"I am crying _because_ I am so happy. I found out what number three is, we should get it in nine months." His eyes widened even more and he swept me on my back so that he was now looking down into my face. He swept his hands delicately over my face. He was smiling broadly and I felt his excitement and glee race to catch up with mine.

"You mean?"

"Yes Eric. I'm pregnant." He smiled down at me with complete adoration. I could feel the combination of love and excitement flowing between us.

"Every time I think that I couldn't possibly love you more you surprise me. I never thought I would love and you awakened my heart. I never thought I would see the sun again and you bathe me in light. I never, ever thought I would get a family. Sookie, thank you. Thank you for picking me. Thank you for being so perfect. Thank you for coming back. Thank you for loving me. Thank you for making me this happy. I swear I will find a way to repay you. I will do whatever I need to do to make you as happy as you have made me." I started laughing and I lifted my hand to his face.

"Eric, you already have. I love you." He took my hand from his face and kissed my palm before kissing my lips softly and pulling me back into his arms.

We lay on the beach until the sun went down. We watched the sky turn orange and then slowly dim as we held each other. We didn't speak. We just cuddled together and let the joy overwhelm us. As soon as the sun had fully set Eric dressed us both and picked me up in his arms to carry me inside. I let my head rest in the crook of his neck.

"Can't have you getting cold," he crooned as he kissed me. We were so delirious with joy it was like nothing I had ever felt before. I silently prayed that others could be as happy as us and I thanked fate for bringing us together and making all my dreams come true.

"Do you want to stay for the rest of the week or do you want to go home?" Eric was getting changed as I lay on the bed and watched him. I knew he wanted to leave even though we only had three days left of our vacation. He was desperate to get me to a doctor but he was trying to hide how eager he was to check our health. I had seen a vision of me giving birth so I was fairly confident everything would be alright. I tried to remind myself that in his day pregnancy was often fatal but I still found his sudden panic slightly entertaining. It's not often that you see a thousand year old Viking vampire king have a panic attack. If he could breathe I bet he would be hyperventilating. The image sent me into a fit of hysterics that made his panic even worse.

"What?" He demanded as he knelt on the bed beside me. I was curled up and laughing so hard that tears were running down my face.

"We can leave tomorrow if you want to Eric," I choked out in between giggles. He was frowning down at me in confusion and I started to hit the mattress trying to slow the laughter.

"Why are you laughing at me woman?" He sounded really angry but I knew he was just putting it on to try and get me to stop laughing. I couldn't answer him. "Fine! I will give you cause to laugh yourself silly." He began tickling me in all my sensitive areas causing me to laugh and cry and scream.

"Stop Eric!" I gasped trying to get away from him even though it was futile. He was a thousand times stronger than me and he had me pinned beneath him. I suddenly reached that point where it goes from being funny to absolute torture and my laughter abruptly stopped.

"Please Eric, Stop." I begged. He immediately pulled away and I lay quietly for a moment as I tried to get my breath back.

"Now will you tell me what you found so amusing?" He had a smug grin and I could feel how pleased he was with himself at having me submit. I rolled my eyes. Once a vamp always a vamp.

"I'm sorry Eric but watching you have a panic attack after knowing for six hours that I am pregnant was kind of hilarious. I don't see you 'lose it' very often." He pulled me up onto his lap and nuzzled into my throat.

"That's because there is only one thing I care enough about to 'lose it' over. My love, I must warn you. I was already having trouble with the thought of something harming you before I got to turn you and now that you are pregnant I am going to become even more protective. I hope you can understand because I cannot help it. I have felt what it is like to be without you and will not go through that again. I cannot." I sighed and reached up to kiss him.

"I know Eric. I will try to understand and if you really want to leave tomorrow and race me to the doctors then that's what we will do. I don't want you to worry about me."

"That, my love, is unavoidable but seeing a doctor will help put my mind at rest, thank you." Kissed me and it quickly grew heated. He pulled the covers down and placed us both under the sheets before turning out the light.

It was four o'clock in the afternoon as the limo pulled up in front of Dr. Ludwig's hospital. I had expected something different. I'm not sure what but I had not expected the grand plantation building that was located just outside of Shreveport. Eric took my hand and helped me out of the car and we walked inside together. The lobby had been turned into a reception area and there were a number of creatures sat around waiting to see the doctor. They all nodded to us as we walked in and I tried to give them each a friendly smile. There was a short woman with curly hair and glasses sat behind the reception desk.

"Mrs Northman it is an honour to meet you. The doctor has been waiting for you to arrive. If you just go on in there she will be in with you shortly." Eric pulled me through the door she had pointed to and I frowned up at him.

"I called ahead," he said defensively. He knew I was annoyed at being treated like a queen. I may have become royalty but I still liked to treat people as equals, something which never ceased to irritate Eric.

"I didn't even get to say thank you," I moaned as he sat me down on the bed.

"You didn't need to." He said dismissively. I saw red and slapped him across the face as hard as I could. He snarled and his piercing blue eyes bore into me as his fangs extended.

"What was that for?" He demanded with a growl.

"You pissed her off," Dr. Ludwig said as she scurried into the room. "Don't you know that pregnant women are volatile at best? And your lovely wife is going to be even more prone to mood swings as her powers will enhance the hormones." For the first time in my memory the doctor smiled up at me. It was a scary sight that sent a shiver down my spine. "Now let's see what we have?" She did her examination and I was pleased that I didn't have to put on one of those nasty hospital gowns.

"Well? Is everything alright?" Eric enquired nervously. He moved out of the way as the doctor went from one side of the bed to the other. Eventually he settled by my head and he held my hand lacing our fingers together. I began to feel bad that I had over reacted and tears started to roll down my face.

"Now don't go feeling guilty young lady. It's not your fault your vampire has no manners. Nor is it your fault that your emotions are out of control. It's going to take you some time to get used to it and learn to control yourself. I am sure he will understand." She scowled at Eric and he wiped my tears away and whispered in my ear.

"She's right. I love you." He kissed my cheek and then turned to glower at the doctor. She was frowning which made both of us begin to panic.

"The good news is that you both are very healthy. The bad news is that this is going to be a very difficult pregnancy."

"What do you mean?" I could feel Eric's fear and I squeezed his hand to help calm him.

"You have so much power and the baby will have power too but as I said, your powers enhance your hormones. You are going to get bad cravings, mood swings and sickness. You will also find that you are going to be much weaker than normal so you need to take it steady. You can do anything you would normally do but be aware of how tired you feel. If you use your powers you will drain much faster than normal as your body will protect your baby with most of your power. Now, it is important that you give your body what it needs so if you crave blood, drink blood. If you want sex, have sex. If you are tired, sleep. We will need to have regular checkups as there has never been a pregnancy like this before so we don't fully know what to expect. I do, however, anticipate that you start to feel the effects of the pregnancy much faster than normal. You have eight months to go and I will see you in two weeks. Any questions?" We both shook our heads and the doctor walked out of the room without looking back.

Eric helped me off the bed and hugged me for a long time. I pulled back to look up into his face but I couldn't read his expression and he was blocking the bond.

"What is it Eric?" _I was just trying to work out how the hell I am supposed to get you to take it easy. _I smiled up at him and he smiled back but I could feel his angst.

"You just have to ask me nicely," I said and I kissed him before pulling him to the door.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

It was very entertaining when we arrived home as we had not been expected for three more days and Eric had purposely not informed anyone that we would be returning early.

"How do you want to announce our good news?" He asked me in the car as we pulled up in front of the house. I could hear the guards panicking as they tried to get into position and wondered why we had returned ahead of schedule.

"I don't mind. Do you want to tell everyone straight away?" I imagined what the different reactions would be like and grimaced.

"We don't have a choice. The supes will be able to smell it on you and to be perfectly honest, my love; I need all the help I can get keeping an eye on you." I giggled knowing that he wasn't joking.

"Then call the gang and arrange a meeting tonight. Can we tell my brother too?" Eric scowled at the thought of inviting my brother to the meeting but nodded his agreement.

"I will arrange everything while you take a nap." He took my hand and led me to the sitting room.

"What makes you think I want to take a nap?" I asked a little annoyed that he was getting bossy again.

"I can feel how tired you are over the bond and the doctor said to sleep when you need to." He gave me that smug 'you know I'm right' smile and I scowled.

"I'll do you a deal," I offered as we reached the lobby. He stopped and raised an eye brow at me. He still couldn't resist bartering with me and I tried to keep the sly smile off my face.

"What would that be?" He couldn't keep the satisfaction out of his voice. He loved it when I tried to haggle with him because it showed him I wasn't afraid to stand up to him.

"I will lie down in the sitting room and take a nap if you sit with me and make your phone calls from there."

"Done. You sleep better when I am next to you anyway." He led me into the sitting room and sat down. I put my head in his lap and stretched out on the couch. He began playing with my hair and it wasn't long before I was drifting away. He was right; I did sleep better when he was next to me.

* * *

I played with her hair until I knew that she was asleep. I spent a few minutes listening to her steady breathing and the thrumming of her beating heart and I placed my hand over her stomach. I still couldn't, what was that modern saying, wrap my head around it. My perfect angel was giving me a child. I could watch her sleep forever. She nuzzled her face into my leg and sighed. The sound made me high with love. I had never felt such jubilation before in my long existence. I had been hit with the miracle that was my wife and now she was giving me even more. How did I get so lucky?

It was with great control that I forced myself to make the first call. I didn't want to announce our good news but I knew that it was a necessity. Not only would it be safer, I hadn't been lying when I said I needed help getting my wife to take things steady. She loved to be doing things and trouble followed her everywhere. She was also the most infuriatingly stubborn person I had ever met and I knew it would take an army of us to get her to sit down for longer than ten minutes. I was overjoyed at our good fortune but also terrified. I had seen hundreds of women die in childbirth, my mother and sisters included. I couldn't stand the thought of losing her again. I had still not recovered from the agony of her first death. I was very happy that she was agreeing to let me turn her because then she would be strong and resilient. I could feel my instinct to protect raging out of control and it took every bit of effort I had to manage how I spoke to her. Sookie would not react well if I told her she was forbidden to use her powers or leave the house for the next nine months. I was still learning how to treat her as an equal rather than ordering and demanding her. After many arguments I had realised how I worded my requests meant the difference between getting what I wanted and spending a week drinking the synthetic crap and sleeping alone.

"Pam there is a meeting at my house tonight. Severn o'clock." I made the same call to Bill, Amelia, Alcide, Quinn, Sam and even Jason. I was very thankful that none of the day walkers picked up their phones as I still didn't like speaking to any of them. I respected them, except Jason, but I only tolerated them for Sookie's sake. They had proven useful and they made her happy but they were still pains in my ass. I would gladly do without all of them and especially the fools that continued to drool after my wife.

Once my calls were made I slipped into what Sookie liked to call downtime and I began to think about was ahead of us. I had lasted this long by always staying ahead. It was a major advantage that we had every vampire sovereign on our side and I would be willing to bet that the fae supported us too. Our biggest threat was going to be Sookie herself. I played with her hair and she murmured in her sleep. I would have to discuss this with Pam and see if she could think of a way to pacify my wife. I sometimes thought that Pam understood Sookie better than any of us. Must be a woman thing.

* * *

I woke up to find that Eric was in downtime. I must have been asleep for a while because it was already dark outside. Eric began to stir when he felt me sit up.

"All sorted?" I asked as I rubbed my eyes. I still felt groggy.

"Yes. They will be here at seven." I looked at the clock. It was already six. I jumped to my feet and moved to race upstairs but before I took two steps Eric's strong arms had caught me and he pulled me down on his lap while he laughed at me.

"And where do you think you are going in such a hurry?"

"Eric," I moaned making him laugh even harder. "I only have an hour and I need to get changed and find something to eat before they get here." He nuzzled the back of my neck and began showering me with kisses.

"And what would you do if I refused to let you go?" His voice had turned seductive and I couldn't help but moan as his lips traced irresistible patterns over my skin. In seconds I was panting and I could feel my heart fluttering in my chest.

"The doctor said I needed to eat, Eric," I smiled at my attempt to play him at his own game. He didn't stop kissing me as he spoke.

"Yes she did. She also said you should give your body what it wants. I can smell what you want Sookie and it isn't food." He flipped me around and began his assault on my mouth. I moaned as his hands started to work my breasts. I knew what he was doing. He wanted the smell of sex to be in the room while he told my ex-boyfriends that I was pregnant. Before I totally lost the will to pull away I popped myself to the bathroom and turned on the shower. I chuckled to myself as he shouted up the stairs.

"That's cheating!" I felt him zoom up the stairs and come into the bedroom but he didn't interrupt my shower. I was a little disappointed about that but I didn't let myself dwell as I knew time was short.

I stepped out of the shower feeling clean and fresh. Eric had laid out my clothes on the bed and he watched me as I changed with lust and hunger in his eyes. I may have put on a bit of a show while pulling the bra and silk blouse on. I smiled to myself as I walked downstairs to find sustenance with Eric close on my heel. He was giving me space, which I appreciated, but also refusing to let me out of his site, which was adorable.

I sat at the breakfast bar with a glass of juice and a bowl of gumbo which Kale had left for me in the fridge. I missed cooking but my skills were nothing compared with hers in the kitchen so I didn't see the point in arguing about it.

The doorbell rang as I was finishing my meal and Eric went to let in our first guest. I couldn't hear anything so I figured it must have been Pam. I was glad my shields were holding because I was sure I wouldn't want to hear the thoughts tonight. I placed my dirty dishes in the sink and went to sit in the den with Eric.

"Sookie," Pam nodded her head and I smiled at her nodding back. I went to sit in Eric's lap and his chest rumbled with satisfaction as he wrapped his arms around me.

"Did you enjoy your anniversary?" I beamed at Pam.

"It was wonderful Pam. I will have to get all the photos developed so I can show you. Have you ever been to Hawaii?"

"Yes but I wasn't very impressed. I hear it is all about the sun." She smiled warmly at me, well as warmly as a vampire can. Eric chuckled behind me.

"I s'pose that's true." Bill came in then and sat beside Pam.

"Hello Bill," Eric nodded in time with Bill and I just smiled at him. I was starting to get excited. I really wanted them all to know so that I could share how happy I was with them. Eric could feel my joy through the bond and it rivalled his own.

"Sookie, Eric. I trust you had a pleasant trip?"

"We did," Eric said bluntly. I was just grateful he didn't make some lurid remark. Eric squeezed me affectionately and I twisted round to give him a quick kiss.

"Let me up, the others are here," I said to Eric. I knew he wouldn't let me get up but I had to try.

"You're not going anywhere," he said firmly. I giggled and popped to open the front door.

"Cheater!" He yelled out to me making me laugh even harder. I heard Pam and Bill cackling too. I flung the door open and hugged Amelia, Quinn, Alcide, Sam and Jason as they arrived.

They each gave me an odd look when they smelled me but they didn't say anything instead following me into the den.

"Can I get y'all anything to eat or drink?" I scanned my guests as they made themselves comfortable.

"NO!" Eric snarled at me. He pulled me into his lap again. "You are not playing hostess tonight. You are going to sit still like a good girl and do as you are told!" I laughed at Eric as the room became tense and my male protectors snarled in offense on my behalf.

"Sweetie, I will sit still when you can keep me in one place." I kissed him and popped to the kitchen to collect the tray of drinks that was already set up for me. Everyone was howling in laughter when I walked back into the den. Everybody but Eric. He looked at me wide eyed with hurt and anger.

_Why must you always make me look bad Sookie? You know what the doctor told you. I am only trying to keep you safe. _I handed out the drinks and returned to Eric's lap.

_I know and I love you for that. I just think your little plan of gang up on Sookie is going to work so I figured I would get my way while I still can. _He chuckled at that and kissed me again.

"It's all very nice seeing you two fight and make up but why are we all here?" Jason asked. I smiled at my brother and I thought I might bust from the excitement and joy.

"You are here because you are our closest friends and family. We have an announcement and we wanted you all to know together."

"What's wrong with you?" Jason demanded in an iron hard voice. "You only get like this when there is something wrong so what is it?"

"There's nothing wrong Jase. I am great." Eric nuzzled into my neck inhaling before looking at my brother.

"Sookie is pregnant with my child. The doctor has told her that she needs to take things steady but she is healthy." I began laughing. The combination of stunned expressions and the idea of them stopping me doing what I wanted to was absolutely hilarious to me.

"Eric things y'all will be able to help him keep me off my feet," I explained to them all. I wondered how long it would take for our news to sink in.

"Holly hell Sook! Congratulations," Jason said stepping forward to give me a hug. I jumped up and hugged my brother. "I'm happy for you."

"Thanks big bro." His reaction seemed to have thawed the others out.

"Congratulations Sookie, Eric," Amelia said giving me a hug too.

"I'm pleased for you both," Sam offered. I felt Eric tense up as I wrapped my arms around my old boss. Jeez, I would have thought he would be over the possessiveness by now.

"Many happy returns Master, Sookie. I will serve your child as I serve you both."

"Thank you Pam," Eric said placing a hand on her shoulder.

"King, Sookie, I give you my best wishes. This truly is a miracle. I know you have always wanted children Sook and I am pleased you get your dream. I too will always be at your service." Bill bowed low from the waist and I stepped forward to hug him while Eric nodded to my ex-beau.

I gradually gave Alcide and Quinn a hug too and we accepted their congratulations. I landed back in Eric's lap before Alcide called a toast.

"To Sookie, Eric and their family. May they always be happy, healthy and prosperous." They all cheered us and I started to cry. It was so overwhelming it was almost painful. They were all happy for us but I could see the underlying concern. I wondered if it was Eric's fears they were sensing.

"How the hell are you going to get her to take it easy Eric?" Quinn asked laughing his ass off. He was enjoying the challenge far too much but Eric was so concerned that he didn't rise. He just hugged me tighter.

"We will all help him," Alcide answered. "We all know what trouble she is and together we can make her follow the doctor's orders." He was smiling wickedly at me.

"I am here you know!" I scowled. I wasn't really angry, although I should have been. I was just too happy to get mad at the slight.

"I know," he said smugly.

"So what did the doctor say to expect?" Jason was starting to get really scared and I could hear him thinking about Crystal.

"She just said I should give my body what it wants," I said but Eric wasn't having my attempt at smoothing things over.

"She said because of Sookie's power she will get much weaker than normal and she will have a rough pregnancy." I hit him but I knew it didn't have any effect. I jumped off his lap and headed back into Jason's arms.

"I promise I will be alright Jase. We both will." I looked into his terrified eyes and I saw a single tear roll down his cheek. His tear set me off and I cried in my brother's arms. I knew he just needed to hold me and the others politely portended to ignore our heartfelt exchange.

"So master, what is a 'rough pregnancy'?" Pam asked. I could feel them all listening intently to his answer.

"She will get sick and have bad cravings and mood swings. Ludwig told us because of her power she will drain more easily than normal. She is concerned that she will feel the effects of pregnancy much sooner than normal and she wants to have regular checkups as there may be unexpected complications due to the unique nature of the pregnancy. My biggest concern is trying to get Sookie to relax and take things easy."

"And stay out of trouble," Amelia added.

"Exactly."

I pulled away from my brother to glare at Amelia.

"I'm not _that_ bad!" I complained.

"Yes you are," Sam said with a bitter smile. They were all much more sombre now and it irritated me. I didn't want them to dampen my joy.

"I am going to be fine," I said exasperated. "Can we please just be happy about this?" Eric sighed heavily and hugged behind me.

"Of course you will be fine. We will make sure of it!" He vowed. They all nodded in agreement and my irritation turned to a mild understanding. It had only been a matter of weeks when I had died. They loved me and wanted to protect me at all costs. I couldn't get mad at the for that even if it was highly annoying.

"So what is going to be the public story?" Quinn asked.

"We haven't really sorted that yet," I admitted.

"You will have to hold a press conference or something to announce it." Pam always full of good ideas. "Dear Abby would suggest honesty is the best policy." I giggled at that.

I began to get very tired again and I wondered how only three hours of visiting with friends and family could make me so sleepy. Eric felt my tiredness and insisted on my going to bed. I resented being treated like a cripple but I was tired so I didn't put up too much of a fight. The day walkers all needed to go home and get some sleep anyway so I said goodnight to our guests and went up to our room. I thought about how they would probably be on my case for the entire pregnancy. I would have to think of new ways to get what I wanted. I had already been thinking I would like something more constructive to do with my time. Queen duty was starting to get boring and I wanted to do something which give be a better chance at mixing with people. I could probably use this as a way of convincing them to leave me in peace although I dreaded to think the reaction we would get from the press.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

My wife was not going to make this easy but I was confident that I had plenty of support. Once we announced her condition to the wider vampire population I would be sure that she would be protected. I would make sure that she got the care she needed and the support to prevent her from getting stressed.

Once I had seen out our guests I took Pam into my office. I didn't want to take too long but I needed her help and I knew she would be the best person to aid my cause.

"Yes master?" She inquired with great curiosity.

"Pam, I am going to need your help. Sookie is not going to be able to continue with many of her Queen duties as she must remain calm and our vampire politics cause her great stress."

"As you wish, master. Is that all?" I didn't miss the coy smile my child was wearing but I chose the ignore it. She had served me well for hundreds of years but since my marriage to Sookie she had outdone herself. She had taken on the responsibility as my second with little effort and she was vital to my retinue.

"You are perceptive as always. Sookie will fight for her freedom no matter her condition and I was hoping you could come up with some way of convincing her to relax. She seems to listen to you more than any other." Pam smiled delightedly at her triumph.

"The answer is simple, master. She will fight you for her own freedom but you can use her love against her. Remind her that her actions put your baby at risk and I am sure she will submit. She may not be good to herself but she is always good to others and those she loves more than any other." I smiled widely. I had not thought of that. It did seem likely that she would agree to methods otherwise intolerable for the sake of the baby. I smiled imagining what sort of mother she would make. She would be the best mother. Both loving and nurturing but also strong and assertive. She had been born to be the mother of my child. I could not imagine a more perfect partner. In many ways she reminded me of my own mother. She too had been a strong woman, she had to be. She had been brave and fierce but always the first to love and show affection.

"That is an interesting idea. You will of course continue to assist me in this cause."

"Yes master. I would also like your permission to throw a baby shower for Sookie. I have wanted to have one for some time and I believe she would enjoy it."

"Very well. Dismissed." Pam nodded to me and returned to Fangtasia. I would have to think of a way to repay her dedication. There were many things to think of. I must write a press release and contact my public relations manager. I also needed to begin my education. It had been centuries since I had been around children and I knew nothing of pregnancy accept that it was deadly. We would also have to prepare the accommodation for a child but all of that could wait for the morning. Sookie was waiting for me.

The best part of the day was climbing into bed and pulling Sookie into my side. She was already sound asleep and moaning softly to herself. I could feel her uncontained joy over the bond but also her fragility. She wouldn't admit it but the pregnancy was already having an effect on her. She was much more tired than usual and her emotions were running wild. Twice tonight she had sobbed. She had been happy, sad, scared, irritated, angry and happy again. I would protect her. I would care for her. I couldn't let any harm come to her. I couldn't live without her. She was mine. She was everything.

"Eric," she groaned in her sleep. "Cold." I pulled another blanket over her and rejoiced in her sigh and the way she unconsciously snuggled closer into my side.

* * *

My master was very concerned for his bonded. I had never known him be so afraid before but he had not recovered from the apocalypse. None of us had but it was much worse for him. We had been left feeling a calm joy that had been unknown to us before while he had been left in darkness.

I had noticed since that night he had refused to leave Sookie's side. He had followed her everywhere and they were even more affectionate than before. It was almost sickening the way she would always sit on his lap and the way they would make moon eyes at each other. Almost. I couldn't deny that their joy was an inspiration, even to those of us whose hearts no longer beat. They were a beacon of hope and light. They were the ultimate couple. Powerful and yet complete in each other. I was very pleased for my master. I was also pleased for myself. I had never had so much fun teasing him and Sookie was always entertaining.

I walked into the bar and surveyed the vermin. The bar was always packed to full capacity these days and fangbangers were even more pathetic than they used to be. I remember when fangbangers had the sense to be afraid of us but these mindless fools were so blinded by the power and gratification they didn't think to fear us.

"Bite me Mistress!" Cried a podgy man in black denim. He gripped my arm and I could feel the slime of his sweaty hand against my smooth cool skin. Instinctively I flung him across the room with one swipe. He landed on the stage and I heard his head smash into the wooden floor. I paused to hear him groan and then, knowing he was still alive, I marched through the crowd to the office.

I had much work to do but I enjoyed working so it was with great delight that I switched on my computer to begin. I reflected with a smile on Sookie's condition. I had not anticipated this as a possibility in our futures but I should have known better. The sly telepath was good at making the impossible our reality. She was as full of surprises as she was stubbornness. That was her appeal for my master. He liked that she could rival him as no other ever had. I liked that she could get away with it.

"Mistress Pam, would you like me to get you anything this evening?" Felicia asked from around the door. I smiled at the young vampire in appreciation. She was the best bar tender we had ever had.

"Something young, blond and stylish would be nice." I was very hungry and I always worked better when I was sated.

"There is a very beautiful girl that meets you description here tonight. I will secure her for you." I nodded and she left as silently as she had come. I turned to the long list of emails I had received. There were so many requests and reports to monitor and file that I wondered if my master's fame was not more of a hindrance than it was a help. It was nice knowing we were secure from power struggles but there was a massive influx of supes coming to live in our area to be near 'the chosen one'. I was simply glad that the humans did not remember as clearly as the supes what Sookie had shown us. They remembered sure enough, but Sookie herself was just a vague figment in their minds. She was famous in the supe world but to humans she was known only as the first human vampire queen.

The way the world had changed since her little stunt was still a shock for all supes. We were still adjusting to the new feelings of brotherhood and they warred constantly with the old distrust and contempt. I was disturbed from my form filling by the sound of a knock on the office door.

"Enter." I looked up expecting to see Felicia returned with my meal but instead I was face with a rather distressed Bill Compton. I smiled internally at his conflict. I had taken hours of pleasure watching his self-inflicted pain over the loss of Sookie. My master took great delight in stoking the fire of his jealousy but the fool continued to pine after the beautiful blonde and berate himself for his own mistakes.

"Pam I need to discuss something with you."

"What Bill? Are you having problems with your duties?" I knew that he was having no such problems. In fact, Bill had proven to be the best inter-area officer we had but it was fun to fain innocence.

"Not at all. I will be meeting with the sheriff of area one next week to discuss a few complaints but it's nothing important. I wish to discuss Sookie." I gestured to the chair on the other side of my desk and he sat down.

"What could possibly be troubling you about our beautiful queen?" I teased. He snarled at me. We had never been able to tolerate each other.

"Pam you fucking know what is bothering me! Or we're you at a different meeting to me?" I could see his anger mixed with his pain.

"You knew that you had lost her when she married. Why do you continue to seek her?" I refused to let myself become irritated over this pathetic wretch. If it had been me I would have staked him years ago but my master knew Sookie would not tolerate that. Silly woman. After the way he had treated her she should be sharpening the stake herself.

"She was mine and I was everything I wanted to be. That's what she does. She makes you feel like you are exactly what you should be." He had a faraway look as if he were remembering something from long ago.

"And you repay her by breaking her heart, abusing her and leaving her to fend for herself." I sneered as he winced at my words. "You are lucky Bill. If it had been any other human you would be finally dead but she is as good at forgiveness as she is at love. She holds you as a close friend and she is happy with Eric. He is giving her everything her warm heart ever desired. Let her go." He looked in my eyes and I was surprised to see a smile on his lips.

"That's why I am here, Pam. I know now, beyond any doubt, she is his and always will be. I need to do something for her, for them both, to show them how sorry I am for the past and how happy I am for them. I need to atone." Well on my un-dead life. I never would have thought I would see this day. William Compton able to do something for Eric Northman. This was just too good. I couldn't wait to see the look on my master's face when this good deed was presented.

"So you come to me for help, why?"

"You know them both very well. I thought you would be able to advice me on the form this gesture should take." I laughed quietly at the images flying through my sadistic mind.

"Well clearly the gesture should involve the baby. It is what unites them in their happiness. It is what makes her, his forever." _It is what makes her so incredible_. I thought to myself. There was nothing she couldn't do.

"I had children long ago. It is no easy task to raise a child and she will have many challenges during her pregnancy. What do you think I could do?" He fidgeted in his chair slightly, a very human gesture that merely decreased the almost nonexistent respect I had for him. He had never accepted what he was as I had. He still fought himself and always would.

"I am going to be hosting a baby shower for Sookie. Do you know what is involved in the custom?" Sookie herself had told me of the ritual. I knew presents were involved and I was very excited about having a legitimate reason to shower her with gifts she could not refuse. She still put up a fight over material possessions, even now, as queen.

"No. I have never heard of such a thing," the look on his miserable face was priceless.

"I would suggest you do something like that to curry her favour. Look into what they will need and provide it." It was really very simple, why did he need my aid? Idiot!

"Pam, I am not trying to curry favour. I am trying to make things right." With that he nodded stiffly and stormed out of my office, nearly knocking over the sweet blond at the door. His face was priceless.

_Yes,_ I thought to myself, _this was going to be good._ I returned to my work with a smile and a newly formed plan.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

I was locked in the bathroom sobbing my heart out. I had been dreading this day and after being awake only an hour it was proving to be everything I feared. Eric was stood on the other side of the door threatening to tear it off its hinges if I didn't open it or come out.

"Go away, Eric!" I moaned through the tears. I was curled up in a ball on the floor. My back was against the cold surface of the bath and I was surrounded by tissues. I just couldn't stop the tears.

"Sookie, love, let me in and tell me what is wrong. Please my love." I could hear his desperation and fear but that only made me cry harder. Adding guilt to my already heavy heart. I had closed off the bond so that Eric wouldn't be burdened with my pain. I knew he hated it when I did that but I wouldn't have him feel my sorrow.

It amazed me that he didn't know what was wrong. It didn't take a genius to work out that today was the anniversary of gran's death. I always missed her but on this day my grief seemed to consume me. Now, with my added hormones, my misery was pure torture. I couldn't stop thinking about her. I remembered her smell, the musky scent of baking grease mixed in with the lavender perfume she wore. I remembered the way her eyes sparkled when she smiled and her lips would curl up slightly. I remembered the way it would feel when she held me. No one else could make me feel like that. It was the comfort of a parent. Protective, loyal, loving and affectionate all at once. It made me feel warm and safe no matter how bad things had seemed before. God I missed her!

"Sookie you are scaring me. I will give you to the count of ten and then I am coming in door or not!" Eric was yelling and the cold tone of his anger made my chest heave. I couldn't breathe. I just curled up tighter in my ball and wished with everything I had that I could see her one more time. I wanted to tell her I was pregnant. I wanted her to meet Eric. I was sure she would hate him. "He's not a good Christian gentleman Sookie." She would say, "How do you know he will treat you right?" She loved Bill for his southern gentility. Eric was everything that Bill wasn't. I also knew, without a doubt, she would be happy for me and once she saw how well Eric treated me she would be singing his praises. Gran was nothing if not open minded.

"3, 2, 1..." I didn't move not even to the loud crash of Eric breaking down the door. I didn't look up. I didn't speak. I just curled up in my ball and cried. I felt cold hands lifting me but I didn't move. I remained rigid even as he carried me to the bed and placed me on his lap. He curled his arms around me and nuzzled his face in my neck.

"What's wrong Sookie? Speak to me?" The pain in his voice made me shake with grief and guilt. Gran would kick my ass if she saw me like this. _You can overcome anything if you don't bellyache._

"Eric," I slowly uncurled myself and buried my face in his chest. I was tiny on his lap. His grip around me tightened and I felt his body relax slightly. "I'm sorry. Today is the anniversary of gran's death. I will be alright I just need to get it out of my system today." I sniffed as I spoke.

"Would you like to go to Bon Temps today? We could take flowers to her grave?" His voice was heavy with his concern. I looked up into his face through my bleary eyes.

"That would be great." I smiled tentatively at him and he smiled broadly back at me. "Would you mind if I get ready by myself while you sort the driver and stuff?" I knew he would want to stay with me while I got ready but I need a few minutes to pull myself together.

"As you wish. I will wait for you in the kitchen." He lifted me off his lap, kissed me and then disappeared.

* * *

I dialled the one number I could think of that might help me today.

"Sam Merlotte." I internally cringed at the sound of the shifter. I really didn't like him. He was my best hope for advice on Sookie.

"Sookie is upset. We are coming to Bon Temps can you think of anything I can do to make it better?" He chuckled down the phone and I nearly crushed the handset in my ire.

"Of course she is upset Eric. She is grieving and her gran was everything to her. She will be a mess all day but you just have to be there for her. Bring her to the bar and I will talk to her about it. She tends to clam up when she is upset." Was this dog actually telling me what to do? _Me!_

"Very well if you think it will help but what else can I do?" I hadn't seen mourning like this in hundreds of years and I was worried that I would make it worse for my wife.

"Take her to the grave to say goodbye. If she needs time alone respect that. You could also take her the house so she feels closer to the memories that are probably flooding her mind right now." I could feel her getting closer even though she had blocked the bond. All I could feel was the warm glow of her life. I hated the loss of the bond and it pained me that she felt it was necessary. This was not like her. She had never seemed so defeated before. My warrior goddess was strong and stood firm against all enemies but the demons of her heart were winning today.

"It will be done." Kale came in from the laundry room and poured Sookie's coffee.

"Oh and Eric...don't tell her it will be alright just let her remember." I snapped my phone shut just as she walked in. Her eyes were red and puffy but she still looked like the goddess she was. She had curled her hair up in a twist at the back of her head and she was wearing the white dress with red flowers that I loved. She only wore that dress on very special occasions and I began to understand the importance of this day. She had never spoken of it before and I wondered at my lack of knowledge. It seemed silly to me to mourn this way. She was just as dead today as any other, why grieve more today?

* * *

I got dressed in a haze and plodded downstairs. I was hungry and while I didn't really want to eat I knew I had to for the baby. When I arrived in the kitchen Kale was handing me my coffee (the only cup I was allowed a day) and a plate of pancakes. I climbed up onto Eric's lap and he wrapped his arms around my waist while I ate. On any other day having breakfast in my husband's lap would have been enough to fill me with joy and plant a solid smile on my face. Not today. Today I missed gran's breakfast. I missed her telling Jason to stop eating like a pig. I missed her humming as she fried bacon, eggs, everything she could find in the skillet. I missed her.

I ate in silence and I was glad that Eric didn't try to get me to talk. I just didn't have it in me today. He held my hand as we headed to the car and I noticed that Will was our bodyguard today. He had his arms full of flowers as he climbed into the car with us and I was glad that he didn't speak to me either. He had a tender look in his eyes and I knew he understood, as only those with heartbeats could.

The car parked at the house and Eric and I walked to the cemetery. Eric ordered Will to wait with the driver by the car and he took the flowers. The walk seemed to take forever although it was only a few minutes. Eric stopped just as we were approaching the grave. I noticed that there was already a small bunch of flowers there so Jason must have visited earlier.

"Do you want me to wait here so you can have a minute alone or do you want me to come with you?" I smiled weakly at Eric for his thoughtfulness. It meant a lot to me that he would understand I needed time alone.

"I could use a few minutes." He nodded and handed me the flowers. I took them and kissed him long and hard. "Thank you," I breathed into his mouth. He seemed pleasantly surprised by my reaction.

I laid the flowers down neatly against the white headstone. I fell to my knees and pressed my hands into the hard earth.

"Hey Gran," I whispered. A singe tear rolled down my cheek. "I miss you so much but I want you to know that I am alright. Turns out you were right after all. I would get everything I ever wanted when the right guy showed up." I rubbed my stomach absent mindedly. "Wish you could see us. I am still keeping my promise. I am using my gifts to help others and I swear I won't stop. It scares me sometimes but you were right about that too and if it hadn't been for you I might not be where I am now. Thank you, gran. Thank you for taking care of me right till the end. I love you." The empty hole in my heart seemed to throb but I knew that I had given into my misery for long enough today. I had a wonderful life and, while I would never stop loving her, I had to live my life. I closed my eyes and breathed in the dusty smell of the graveyard. I could hear the birds singing happily in the trees above me and I could feel the sun warming my skin through the branches. It was a nice day.

I got up and walked to where Eric was leaning, very sexily, against a tree. He was looking down at the ground but I knew he had been watching me very carefully and he could hear everything I had just said. I opened up the bond and he looked up at me with a ridiculous smile.

"You promised her you would use your gift?" I nodded and he took my hand in his. We were walking towards the house but he was going at my very sluggish human pace. I was starting to get hungry again and I wondered if he would mind stopping at Merlotte's for lunch before we left. It had been a long time since I had enjoyed burger Lafayette. "What did you mean if it hadn't been for her you might not be where you are now?" I could hear his anxiety as well as feel it. I smiled up at my husband. He was such a ruthless badass and yet I could reduce him to a nervous mass. How did I get so lucky? I stopped and looked up at him.

"Do you remember the night I first came into the club with Bill, the night we met?" His fangs ran down and his smug smile spread over his face wiping away his uncertainty. He ran his hands over my dress and I shivered at is touch.

"Of course, you wore that dress. I had never wanted anything so much in my existence. You were an angel surrounded by monsters and I wanted to take you as mine." I smiled remembering how little I had wanted Eric then. I had been interested in him, to be sure, but I was so in love with Bill. I couldn't see anything else. What a fool I had been!

"Well I was there because Gran told me to use my gift to try and help my brother. If it hadn't been for her I might never have met you and who knows where I would be now. She told me I should use my gift to help others because god had given it me for a reason. She said I was destined for something great and if I followed my heart and did what was right god would steer me right." I shrugged and took his free hand in mine. "She was always right. It led me to you." I pressed both of his hands against my stomach, "it led us to this." He pulled me into him and kissed me passionately. I could feel his desire pressing against me but I knew that he wouldn't push. He kissed me long, his tongue probing my mouth and twisting with mine but I could feel through the bond this wasn't about sex. He was just expressing his love for me which was all I wanted right in that moment.

"Min angel, jag älskar dig." [My angel, I love you.] He placed his arm over my shoulder and I curled into his side as we continued to walk to the house. I was surprised that he led me inside without direction. How did he know I would want to spend time here today?

When we got inside the fire was already lit and he sat me down on the couch pulling the old afghan over both of us. I giggled at the face he pulled at the offending cloth but snuggled contentedly into his side. I was suddenly very tired but I didn't want to sleep.

"Tell me about her." I raised my eyebrows and looked at him. He responded by pulling me tighter into his side. I sighed and watched the fire crackle and hover.

"She made this," I said taking a handful of the afghan. "She made it for me right after my parents died. She said that when it was wrapped around me, keeping me warm I could remember them and it would be like they were hugging me. It never worked. I always thought of her. It was like she was hugging me."

"I wish I could have met her. I would have liked her." I kissed his chest. I knew he meant it and coming from a vampire that meant a lot.

"She would have hated you," I teased. He chuckled and absently stroked my arm.

"Of course, she wouldn't have been a very good guardian if she didn't protect you but no woman could resist my charms forever. She would have come round." I laughed heartily at that.

"Like I did?"

"Exactly." We sat laughing and talking for a long time. I told him stories of my childhood and he asked me about the woman I had come here to remember. It felt good to talk to him about her and being in her house as we talked made me feel like she was still with me.

"You are hungry," he said after a couple of hours. I nodded but made no attempt to move. "Let's go to Merlotte's and get you something to eat." I looked up at him in surprise and he roared with laughter at the look on my face. "I know you." Was all he said to explain. He helped me up and we left hand in hand. I didn't look back at the house.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

Walking into the bar was like walking into the past. Nothing had changed in the long months I had been away. Nothing but me. Jane Bodehouse was slumped over the bar drowning her sorrows. Andy and Bud were talking over a burger. Holly was serving alongside a new waitress. I let Eric lead me into a booth and sat down beside him scanning the room with a feeling of detachment. I didn't belong to this world anymore but as happy as I was right now there was still a part of me that would always miss it.

"Hey Sook, what can I get ya?" Holly said with a wide smile. I was pleased to see that she was happy.

"Bring us an O+ True blood, sweet tea and burger Lafayette. Thank you," Eric said in his most polite voice.

"Gotya." Holly span on her heal to collect our order. I turned to look up at Eric.

"I told you that I know you," he said defensively. I kissed him lightly on the lips.

"Yes, you do." I pulled away as his body tensed and as soon as I turned I saw the reason for his sudden discomfort. Sam was walking out of his office and heading straight for us. "Be nice," I warned in a whisper. Eric leaned down to whisper in my ear.

"I am always nice," he finished it with a low growl which made me blush and giggle. I was starting to feel completely happy again. I was surrounded by things that felt normal and right and it was comforting to me.

"Hey Sam."

"Hey Sook," he smiled at me and ran his fingers though his tousled red/brown hair. "Eric," more solemn, he nodded and Eric reciprocated. It made me laugh even more. Men. You can love then, fight them, even die for them but they will still continue to act like mindless barbarians when they come into contact with each other. Possessive or what?

"Can I speak to you in my office for a minute Sookie?" Uh oh! This could not be good.

"You know Eric can hear anything you have to tell me so why don't you just tell me here, Sam?" I was starting to think it hadn't been a good plan to come here for lunch. I didn't need any more drama today.

"Eric, would you mind if I speak with Sookie in my office? I have something to give her. It will only take a minute." He was staring Eric down which I thought was really stupid but then he smiled and I realised I was interpreting the situation completely wrong.

"No problem. I will wait here for you Sookie." He kissed my cheek and dropped his arms from around my waist. I slid out of the booth totally stunned at their cooperative exchange. I knew that they hated each other and yet here they were acting almost...dare I say it...friendly.

I followed Sam to the office and smiled at the bonsai tree that was still sat on his desk. I had a great deal of fun learning my powers on that tree. I leant up against the desk while Sam sat in his chair. It creaked protesting his weight and he sighed heavily. He took my hand in his and looked up at me with deep blue eyes.

"How you doing, Cher? I know today must be tough." I just nodded not wanting to be thrown back into my misery when I was finally managing to pull myself out of it. "I just wanted you to know that I am very happy for you. I didn't really get a chance to talk to you the other night and I wanted to clear the air. You're a good person Sook and you deserve to have a family like you always wanted. Here." He opened the desk draw and pulled out a little blue gift bag. I took it with a frown and opened it.

"Sam," I gasped, "It's beautiful thank you." He had given me a two little baby body suits. They were both white. One had 'My mummy loves me' and the other had 'I am the luckiest baby in the universe' written on it. I put them in the bag and dropped it on his is desk to wrap him in a huge hug. I could smell his woody animal scent.

"My pleasure Sook. I will always be your friend and I will always be there for you, you know that." I began crying. The tears started slow but they soon turned into heavy sobs. I wasn't sad exactly. I was just overwhelmed by this. I was so happy to be a mom but it hadn't really sunk in properly yet. This gift seemed to make it more real and on top of everything else it was a bit too much.

Sam lowered me into his chair and quietly slipped out into the bar. I hated having so little control over my emotions. It felt like there was a bomb inside me and it was always threatening to go off. Sometimes it would explode in anger, sometimes in misery. Right now it was a mixture of soul stopping joy and crippling fear.

It took Eric less than a second to come into the room and pull me up into his arms. Sam must have called him when I broke down.

"I'm sorry," I moaned into his chest as I cried. I was ruining yet another of his shirts with my tears and ruining a wonderful moment too. He rubbed my back and licked away the salty liquid from my cheek.

"You have nothing to be sorry for, dear one. The doctor warned us that your emotions would be...erratic. You just take your time and feel whatever you need to feel." He pressed his head to mine and I could feel his love over the bond. I felt like such an idiot. My tears dried up and I motioned for Eric to let me down. He did but he kept his arms around me. I rubbed my hand over my eyes.

"Did you see what Sam bought us?" I took the gift bag and handed it to him. He looked as hesitant as I had which made me smile. When he pulled the little suits out and read the prints he smiled a wide, fangy grin.

"It truly will have the best mother in the world so it will be the luckiest baby in the universe." I slapped his chest playfully.

"Eric Northman did you just call my baby 'it'?" I asked with mock anger.

"Forgive me, what should I call our child?" He placed both his hands on my stomach as he spoke and our shared love for the creature growing inside me flooded the bond.

"How about junior?" I suggested putting my hands over his.

"Well, junior," he began rubbing slow and soft circles in my skin. "I am very much looking forward to meeting you." Lust surged over me and I took his hands from my stomach and wrapped his arms around me before reaching up to kiss him like I had never been kissed before.

He chuckled into my mouth, "Feeling better?" I smiled and teased his bottom lip with my teeth causing him to growl.

"You tell me?" I pulled away and let him out into the bar. He picked up the gift bag just before leaving the office. Sam was behind the bar and our food and drinks were at our table waiting for us. We sat down like we hadn't been gone. I smiled at Sam and he smiled back. It was an exchange of friends and he knew I was telling him I was alright just like I knew he was telling me he was glad I was ok.

"Sookie Northman what are you doing in Merlotte's?" Amelia said with accusation in her voice. I hadn't called her to tell her I was visiting today.

"Eating a burger," I said tartly causing Eric to snigger. She sighed exasperated and sat down at our table. "Can I hold her?" She handed me the little bundle, my god daughter, Kendra. She was only one month old and just as beautiful as her mother. I cradled her to my chest and I felt my face light up at her little yawn. I could also feel Eric's pride and delight over the bond. I peeked up at him and he was watching me with awe.

"The little monster kept us up all night last night. Now she's sleeping soundly." Amelia complained in that devoted way mother's do. I bounced the little treasure in my arms and breathed in that wonderful baby smell. I felt something warm twitch inside me. That part of me which used to ache at the thought of children now glowed.

"She is afraid of the clown thing you have above her cot," I told her. The tiny babies mind was filled with pictures of the clown only it was dark and a sharp twinge of fear accompanied the image.

"It's called a mobile and how do you know?" She sounded annoyed. I just looked at her. "You can read her mind?" She was both excited and irritated that I knew what her daughter was thinking and she didn't.

"Yeah. It's not like reading an adult. I just see flashes of pictures and right now there is a scary ass clown floating above her head and it feels really scary. I'd ditch the mobile if you intend on getting any sleep from now on." I handed Kendra back to Amelia sensing that she wanted to feel her daughter in her arms. She was feeling like she was a bad mother for not knowing and I didn't feel like it was my place to comment. She was dead wrong but if I said something I might make it worse. I had learnt that there are some things people just don't want you to know.

I returned to my half eaten burger and Amelia began telling us about Tray and her father. Filling us in on life in Bon Temps and telling me about Octavia who she had visited not long ago. I relaxed and began to feel the bliss that life can bring.

* * *

I watched the love and maternal devotion spread across my wife's face as she held the child. It excited me as I imagined what it would be like when she held our child. She really was born to be a mother. It came naturally to her and the way she could read the child too. She knew the little girl better than the witch and that made me proud. That is what my future was to be. Our child would be getting a mother and a best friend. She would know them better than anyone and no matter what they became she would love them unconditionally. The way she loved me.

I could feel how happy she was in this po dunk town surround by the simplicity of life. She felt calmer than she had in a while. I began to wish she could have this feeling all the time. I knew that she was living in my world purely because she loved me. She wouldn't choose the life of royalty and fame, even if she was good at it. She wanted normal. She always had. She had sacrificed everything and she was still sacrificing for me. It only made me love her more. I wished I could give her the life she craved but it was impossible. We were powerful and the only way we would stay safe was to remain in power. Neither of us had a choice about that.

I began to wonder if she hadn't been hiding her real feelings from me. I knew she loved me. I knew she was happy but being in this bar surrounded by her friends and old neighbours I felt something click into place within her. Was she complete with me? I felt a stab of pain as I realised the answer was... no.

Sookie was my wife, my bonded, my queen. She was the mother of my child and she lived at my side but I was being selfish. She was her own person, I knew that better than anybody, and she had given up her own life in exchange for mine. It had never occurred to me that she might not want to sit beside me. It had never occurred to me that she would need more. She had never complained once. I would have to talk to her about this. I wanted her to be as happy as she could be.

_If you love something let it go free. If it doesn't come back to you, you never had it in the first place. If it comes back, love it forever. _She has already come back once, maybe I should trust her.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

I fell asleep in the car on the way home so when we pulled up at the house my head was resting in Eric's lap and my feet were stretched over Will. I felt happy and refreshed. It was just starting to get dark and I could think about doing only one thing.

"Eric, sweetie, would you mind if we go to Fangtasia tonight? I feel like dancing." He frowned down at me like I was a naughty school girl "Please," I begged with a sweet smile.

"On one condition," I grinned at my victory.

"Anything," I offered foolishly. His eyes flashed and I could see that evil mind of his working overtime to milk my general promise for all it was worth.

"We leave as soon as you get tired, I get to dress you and we talk when we get home. There are a few things I want to talk to you about." I sat in his lap, wrapped my arms around his neck and kissed him long and hard.

"Done."

Eric really enjoyed dressing me. He gave me a barely there black thong, lacy black bra and fuck me heals. Then he pulled out a very slutty salsa style dress. Again, it was black and it emphasised all of my curves. He even did my hair so that my neck was exposed. So walking into Fangtasia I felt very sexy and I was milking it knowing it wouldn't be long before dresses like this were just a figment of my imagination.

"I have some business with Pam will you be alright?" He asked with disapproval. He knew very well I would be alright but he wanted me to go into the office with him. I had no intention to do any such thing. I just nodded at him and smiled widely. The music was pounding away and it felt like my body was sparking with the excitement. I just wanted to dance. He kissed me long and hard, reminding everyone I was his. As if they needed reminding. As soon as he left into the office I headed straight to the dance floor. There were several people dancing and I went straight into the middle of them. I knew there were guards watching my every move and even more customers but tonight I didn't care. It was like I was possessed. The music flowed through my body and I just let myself go.

I had only been dancing a few minutes before I was surrounded by willing partners. Vamps, supes and humans alike all wanted to be close to me while I danced and I danced hard. I swayed and shimmied. I swung my hips and acted like the worst kind of slut as I draped myself over friends and strangers. I knew I was safe and I knew they wouldn't try anything because I was Eric's. I was just enjoying the way the music made my body move. I had no control and I was full of lust and sensuality.

When Eric emerged from the office he snarled at the sight before him. I was pressed in between two vamps, a shifter and a pretty witch. _Just chill Eric. I am only dancing._ I sent before he would start a killing spree.

_Yes lover, you are only dancing but they know better than to dance like that with you._ I smiled at the idea coming into my head.

_So Viking, why don't you come and claim what is yours and show them how it is done?_ I only just finished the challenge before I was surrounded by him. His hands were everywhere and we put on quite a show. I could feel every eye in the bar on us as we very nearly fucked to music. We danced for three songs and finally I couldn't take it anymore. I looked up at Eric's face and his eyes were as hungry for me as I was for him.

"Enough," I said breathlessly taking his hands and popping us into our bedroom.

I didn't give him time to work out what had happened. I launched at him. Kissing him violently. My hands ripped at his shirt and clawed at his soft skin. He tore off my clothes too and we ended up on the bed completely naked and kissing like our lives depended on it.

It felt like my life _did_ depend on it. I was overcome with lust and need. I was ravenously hungry for him and I didn't want to tease anymore. I pulled myself up slightly and bit down on his neck as hard as I could. I drank the thick sweet liquid with relish and he roared from the pleasure. As soon as I finished he slammed into me, as I knew he would, and the feel of him inside me was like oxygen after holding your breath too long.

"Ah..oh..oh..oh Eric," I moaned as he rode me to my first explosive orgasm. Once the tremors subsided I tilted my neck suggestively. He licked my skin and I felt his fangs graze my skin. It made me quiver with anticipation. When he sank his fangs inside me I was blasted into outer space again. He came with me this time screaming my name.

We rode each other to five shattering releases and in the last explosion I felt my hunger drain out of me and a warm glow replace it. I was exhausted and I contentedly curled up into Eric's side as he wrapped me up in the sheet and began playing with my hair. I just let my head rest on his chest and closed my eyes in ecstasy.

"You almost wore me out tonight Sookie. You were incredible. I have never seen you that wild before," Eric was speaking with a low rumble to his tone and it soothed me like nothing else could.

"Hormones," was all the energy I had to explain. In truth I knew it wasn't just the hormones. Sure, they had made it more intense but the raw need had come from the trying day. I had been exposed to the whole emotional spectrum and I had needed him to complete me in the way that only he could. It was like we were one soul in two bodies and only when we were joined did I feel whole. It was like coming home and I had been desperate to find my way home tonight.

I must have drifted off to sleep because when I opened my eyes I was sat up against Eric and there was food all around us. I smiled at the selection. He had picked all of my favourite comfort foods. I gleefully accepted the ice cream he offered me.

"Now, I thought I would kill two birds with one stone. I need to talk to you Sookie and you need to eat." I smiled. I knew what he meant. If I was eating he could talk without me interrupting too much. I wasn't going to argue with him tonight. I _was_ hungry and he had been very sweet to do this for me. I accepted another spoonful of ice cream to show him I was being compliant and he smiled, pleased at my acquiesce.

"Good. First, I want to discuss the nursery. We shall need a place for the baby and I think it would be best to convert the main bedroom into the nursery. That way we are close and it is the most secure part of the building." I nodded to show that I agreed as I took another mouthful of the cold treat. I had already figured that was what would happen.

"Next, we will need to give a statement to the press. I will write that and get my PR manager to deliver it but I also think it would be a good idea for us to do an interview. I can arrange it and that way will get all of the questions answered in one go." He looked at me with concern and I smiled. He knew I hated attention and I had professed that I would never again have an interview after being bombarded with them in the week after my 'sacrifice'.

"Sure, if you think it's best." I took another mouthful of ice cream. I had to squash the laugh that was building inside me. Eric couldn't hide his glee that I was 'being a good girl and doing as I was told'.

"Sookie, I also want to discuss your life." I frowned up at him in confusion, sucking the spoon enthusiastically. His sudden anxiety worried me. "While we were in Merlotte's today I realised I have been very selfish. I promised to make you happy but I never stopped to think about what you wanted. I dragged you into my world and today I saw that you need more than I have been giving." I sighed. I couldn't deny that I did want something and I had hoped to lead up to this conversation slowly but it would have to come out now.

"Eric, you do make me happy. I love you and if I can't have anything else in my life then I will still be the happiest person on the planet." I took a deep breath.

"But?" He could hear what I was preparing myself to say.

"But, you're right. I have been feeling a little smothered lately and it made me think. I know we will never be a normal family but that doesn't mean we can't lead relatively normal lives. We can make our own definition of normal. I want us to work and live like a regular family."

"And how do you see this happening, my love? I can feel your creative mind had a plan already." I smiled up at him proud of my carefully considered plan.

"I would like to open a diner. I would like to have something that I can do while you are working as King. When I need to be by your side I will be, just like any other wife. But if we both have separate jobs then we can come together feeling independent. I know you have not been as firm or controlling as you would have been if I was not around you all the time. And I need to be around people more. I think we can be a very happy family if we can just get the balance right. What do you think?" He sent a wave of pride over the bond. I got the feeling he was preparing for something quite different and he was vastly relieved by my request.

"I think is an excellent plan. I know the building beside Fangtasia is available as the store went bankrupt last month. I will make arrangements to view it. I do have some conditions." I was beaming excitedly at him. I didn't think he would be so open to my idea. I thought I would have had to fight for weeks to get him to even consider it, especially after being told I needed to take things easy.

"What?" I tried to keep my voice and face blank, business like but that just made him laugh at me because he could feel my excitement over the bond.

"You know that you are supposed to be taking things easy and opening a new business doesn't fall into that category. Not to mention how much work it will be to manage a diner, complete your queen duties and raise a child. I don't want you taking on too much so if you are to do this then I want you to have help." He took my hand in his and laced our fingers together.

"What sort of help?" I asked genuinely interested in what he had in mind.

"We need a magical nanny to start with. I want to be sure our child has the best care possible and while I know you will be a wonderful mother it would be good to have someone able to handle our child's gifts when you need to go to work." I almost choked at the thought. I had been spending so much time trying to understand that I was actually going to be a mother that I hadn't really thought what powers the baby would have. It made sense that I would be the only one able to control them. I smiled possessively to myself.

"That's a good idea and if we got them now then we could get used to them and they could teach us a few things about babies. I know I bit from talking to Amelia and taking care of Arlene's kids but I am sure we both have a lot to learn." He kissed me just as I finished speaking.

"I didn't think you could be so reasonable. This pleases me." I giggled into his mouth. I could feel how much it pleased him.

"What else?" I asked pulling away. He frowned and gave me those adorable puppy dog eyes at my seriousness. He wanted fun but I was still too tired.

"You need a personal assistant and we can discuss security at another time."

"A PA? Why do I need one of them?" The thought of having someone to run around after me just seemed silly.

Eric chuckled darkly, "You should have had one as soon as you became Queen but I knew you wouldn't like to have someone running around after you. A PA will help you stay on top of everything and you can use them however you want to. You can have then do your Queen duties, manage the diner, or just use them as a dogsbody." I could see his mind working to try and figure out the best way to persuade me.

"If I agree you will let me run the diner without interfering?" I kept my voice firm and serious. I needed him to promise me this.

"Yes. The diner will be yours and I will only interfere if you ask....that is, once it is open. I will help you organise contractors to get it built."

"Then I agree to your terms. We can hire a PA and a magical nanny." I took another bite of my now melted ice cream.

"Wonderful. You eat and I will make the calls." Eric got up and sped to the office. I smiled at the bed full of delicacies. Had it been that easy?


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

Eric had managed to organise a viewing of the building for 10 o'clock the following morning and we agreed that it would be a good opportunity to go shopping together and get some things for the baby. I was really pleased that he was letting me live life as normally as possible and he was thrilled at my willingness to submit to his requests to eat, sleep and relax. He knew as well as I did that I was only doing as he asked because I _wanted_ to do it anyway but he was still pleased that he was getting his way.

I took a last look in the mirror before going out to the car. My skin was a wonderful golden brown from all the sun bathing I had been doing lately, it was even better now I could do it with Eric. My hair was hanging loose and I was wearing a yellow camisole, tight low rise jeans and fuck me boots. I felt comfy and happy. And I looked hot.

I felt Eric's lust as I climbed into the car to sit on his lap. He nuzzled into my neck and breathed in my scent making me shiver.

"Good morning Will," I said with a bright voice. I was looking forward to seeing the sight and I knew that Eric liked the idea me of being so close to him. Next door was as close as I could get and still be independent.

"Morning Sookie." I felt Eric tense up at the informality of his greeting and I slapped his arm and projected into his head. _I told him to call me that. It took ages for him to get over the majesty and Ma'ams. You are NOT going to ruin it now._

He chuckled quietly under his breath so I could feel his chest vibrate with his amusement.

"You're happy," he stated simply as he kissed along my neck and up to my lips.

"Very," I admitted causing him to smile and his eyes sparkle. We kissed all the way to the building but it was slow and soft. We were not in any hurry. I felt the car stop and sighed into Eric's mouth. Will climbed out and I let my shield fall so that I could hear exactly what the realtor thought. Eric, always the gentleman, led me out and took my hand in his.

"Mr Northman, I am Diane Right. We spoke on the phone." I could hear that she had never worked with vampires before and she was terrified. The fact that Eric was a famous vampire who could go out in the day only added to her fear. She nodded her head and Eric nodded to her with a sly smile toying with his lips. I knew he could sense her fear and he delighted in it. I couldn't help but smile a little too.

"Ms Right this is my wife and we are looking at the property for her so I suggest you address us both," there was only the slightest threat in his voice but I heard her mental panic and I felt bad for the woman.

"Ms Right, am I correct in thinking that the building has been vacant a month?" I smiled warmly at her and caught her eyes with mine. I smiled sincerely at her thoughts. _She is a very beautiful woman and she seems so nice. I wonder what she is doing with him? He is so scary but the way he looks at her is so sweet. I shouldn't have agreed to this. I never wanted to get in any trouble._

"Yes that is correct, Ma'am." Eric roared with laughter startling the poor woman half to death. I slapped his chest and scowled at him.

"Please just call me Sookie, everybody does and it really annoys my husband." I said with a wicked smile. She smiled back at me while Eric frowned.

"Very well, Sookie, but only if you call me Diane." She was starting to relax now and I could hear Will from inside getting very bored.

"Well, Diane, what do you have to show us?" She led us inside and I was surprised to find that it looked almost identical to Fangtasia in layout. It had the same staff corridor with office, store room and toilets. The only difference was that there were empty racks instead of chairs and the windows were not blacked out. The 'bar' area was a little smaller but that would have to be ripped out anyway to make room for the cookers. It was perfect.

Eric inspected the entire building as if he was staking his life on it and he asked a ton of questions. I knew he was trying to ignore my crazy smile but every now and then he would get a dazed look of triumph and I knew he was responding to my unconcealed delight. He thanked Diane and promised to call her before the end of the day with our decision and then he led me out to the car where Will was already waiting.

"Let's discuss this over lunch, lover, you are hungry." I nodded and sighed as I thought about what I was craving.

"Okay," I moaned with resigned disgust.

"What's the matter Sookie? You were so happy." He placed a finger under my chin and lifted my face to meet his.

"Just a stupid craving. I really want a peanut butter and pickle sandwich." Eric looked at me blankly for a minute before speaking.

"Then that's what you shall have." I just sighed heavily at his lack of understanding. I looked up at Will and saw the sickening look on his face.

"There, you see. That's what I should look like thinking about eating such a thing." I pointed to Will who was starting to look very sheepish.

"I do not understand," Eric said with some shame. "Will could you please explain."

"Well, erm," he looked lost trying to find a kind way to explain my repulsive cravings to the dead guy. "It's not something you would normally want to eat. It would be like you drinking dog blood." Eric's face soured at the thought and I laughed.

"Exactly. But I can't stop thinking about it." He placed his hands over mine and I noticed for the first time that they were on my stomach.

"You know it is just the pregnancy. Give your body what it wants and don't worry about it. It just shows what a good mother you are, giving your child what it craves despite your own distaste." I nodded and let Eric calm me through the bond.

We ended up in a small cafe in Baton Rouge and I winced as Eric ordered my sandwich.

"Let me guess, pregnancy cravings?" I nodded sheepishly at the woman who was looking at me with sympathy. "Think yourself lucky. When I was pregnant with our Josh I craved fish and vanilla ice cream." I stuck my tongue out at the thought and the woman laughed softly. "Exactly." The woman, Jan according to her name badge, left with our order.

"Lover, what would you like the diner to look like?" So it was straight to business.

"I want it to look like the average diner with bar stools along the counter and booths around the walls. I want a duke box and I want it to be red, white and black." I had given this a great deal of thought and could almost perfectly picture it in my head. Eric nodded seeming deep in thought although from the way he was looking at me I wasn't sure what he was thinking about.

"And what would you like to call this diner?" I smiled at his question. I had thought about this more than anything but eventually settled on _Scarlet's_ in favour of my heroine.

"Scarlet's," he understood the significance and seemed to approve the choice.

"That is very fitting for you. Sookie, I have to wonder. Why a diner? You could do anything you want, why open a diner?" He looked like this question had been troubling him for a long time and I wondered why it was so unsettling for him.

"That's simple. I wanted something I would enjoy and that would put me in contact with regular people. I already have experience from working at Merlotte's so it shouldn't be too hard for me to get intro and when I pictured it in my head it made me smile. It just felt...right." He took a sip of his True blood which Jan had brought over to us silently.

"It does make sense. Will this make you happy Sookie? Is this what you really want?" I took his hands in mine and nodded. I didn't need to tell him. He could see from the look on my face I was telling him I loved him and this was nothing to that, but still I wanted it.

"Then I shall make an offer this afternoon."

"Oh, thank you Eric." I wrapped my arms around his neck and kissed him. It was a searing kiss that made me go light headed. He must have felt that because he pulled away, and with a fangy grin, placed his hands on either side of my face.

"Anything for you my angel."

I ate my disgusting sandwich and enjoyed every bite. By the end of my meal Eric couldn't contain his amusement and was roaring with laughter. I guessed my wincing at each bite then groaning from the wonderful taste must have been pretty funny to witness and I was impressed that he contained himself until I had finished eating. I didn't comment and let him pull me out into the shopping area as a distraction.

We headed straight to a small shop called 'Mothers to be' and our shared excitement and joy flowed over the bond. This was the first real chance that we had to share the fact that we were going to become parents. Eric's eyes lit up at the sight of cribs, toys and baby books. I felt a peaceful glow deep inside me. It was rare moments like this that made it all worth it. All of the heartache and pain, all the worry. None of it mattered because in those short moments you knew you had everything you could ever want and you wouldn't change a thing.

"What's this?" Eric asked me with an incredulous expression, pointing to one of the shelves.

"It's a baby monitor so that you can hear if the baby is crying when you're not in the room." His eyebrows rose.

"Huh, in my day parents shared their bed with their child." I could hear the distaste at the new invention behind his words and I had to hold back a giggle.

"It's dangerous to sleep in the same bed as a baby; you could roll over in your sleep and crush them." His confusion turned to a frown.

"I have a lot to learn." I took his hands and kissed him lightly on the lips.

"We can learn it together." He grabbed the back of my head in both of his hands.

"I don't deserve you but I love you." I smiled blindingly at him.

"We deserve each other and I love you too." He laced our fingers together and began scanning the rest of the store. He must have purchased one of everything and we had to arrange for it all to be delivered.

"So, where now?" I asked as we headed back into the shopping mall. There were quite a few people about and I noticed that we were getting a lot of unwanted attention. Eric just smiled his fangy grin at the onlookers making them shudder. He revelled in the attention and it made me want to hit him.

"I thought we could get matching outfits for the interview and I want to get you something." I grimaced.

"Eric, I don't need anything. You have already given me everything I want." I saw the flash in his eyes just before he lifted me in a blur of vampire speed. He was spinning me around and I couldn't help but giggle at the thrill of it. When he set me back down on my feet and looked into my eyes, his hands on my shoulders, I didn't even notice the people watching us.

"You have to put up a fight don't you? I hoped you would be over your gift phobia by now. I am going to get you something Sookie and you are going to let me because you love me and it will make me very happy." He had that cocky defiance in his eyes that was just begging me to challenge him. I was so ready to challenge him. But, at that moment, my nose caught the scent of the shop we were outside and I bolted away from him with my hand clamped over my mouth.

I made it to the toilets just in time to throw up. I threw up so long and hard I thought I was going to see my guts. I felt awful, like my whole body was totally exhausted and I groaned over the basin of the toilet, crouched on the cold floor.

_Sookie, what's wrong? You feel terrible. Should I come in? Are you alright?_ Eric was sending his panic but I knew he would be able to control it. He was good at staying in control.

_It's morning sickness Eric. The chocolate smell set it off. Wait there I will be out in a minute._ I could feel his reluctance over the bond but he did as I asked. It took a great effort to stumble out of the toilets and I didn't dare look at my reflection. Hot, sexy Sookie was long gone. I knew I must have looked bad but Eric's gasp when he saw me confirmed it and made me feel even worse.

As soon as I stepped into the mall he picked me up and began walking to the car. I didn't complain about being treated like a child because I honestly didn't feel like I had the strength to walk that far. I just curled up in his arms and closed my eyes. When we reached the car he pulled me on his lap and I sighed, ready to drift away.

"Well at least we know it's your kid," I said bitterly. Eric just brushed the hair out of my face and kissed me on the cheek. I didn't open my eyes.

"What makes you say that?" I could feel his worry permeating the bond.

"Because it's pure evil. Kid won't let me have chocolate for _EIGHT_ months. I think it wants to kill me." Both Will and Eric chuckled softly at my complaint.

"But it got you out of me buying you a gift," I smiled at his attempt to cheer me up.

"True."


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

I could feel how ill she was over the bond and it worried me that she could be rendered so weak in such a short space of time. I could feel her annoyance that she no longer would be able to have chocolate and I knew I would have to find a way to make it up to her. I insisted that she go straight to bed as soon as we arrived back at the house and I was very relieved when she did not protest.

"Now just sleep," I whispered as I pulled the sheets over her and kissed her gently. There was already a sheen of sweat on her forehead and I wondered if I should call the doctor just to be sure this was a normal symptom of her pregnancy. Sookie didn't seem to be too concerned and she knew more about the process than me but still...

"Eric, I'm cold," she moaned already half asleep. I pulled out a thick blanket and laid it over her. She made no response which concerned me even more.

"I'll be right back," I whispered softly in her ear.

I walked silently out into the main bedroom where two guards were standing shoulder to shoulder. I flicked open my phone and dialled.

"Mr Northman I suggest you begin reading up on pregnancy and childbirth. I know she got sick but it really is nothing to worry about." I hadn't even introduced myself yet, the rude little dwarf hung up on me! I was beyond angry. I wanted to tear that nasty little head right off those nasty little shoulders. I wanted to rip and bite and kill. And yet, her words stilled the panic that had been growing inside me. I couldn't lose Sookie, not now, not when I was finally making it all right. I was finally seeing the life she wanted and giving it to her. Images of her limp body resting silently in my arms burned away at my mind. Her beautiful face dead and expressionless. I shuddered. I WOULD PROTECT HER. I WOULD MAKE IT RIGHT. I WOULD KEEP HER SAFE.

I returned to the bedroom and stood over her. She was sleeping peacefully now and I knew she would be unconscious for a while. The sounds of her heart and her soft breathing were a great comfort to me. I let those sounds melt away the remains of my anger. The dwarf was right; I needed to learn...fast. I also had other things I needed to take care of and so with regret I left my bonded, my wife, and headed for Fangtasia.

It was odd being in the bar during the day. The absence of the thrumming music and the pointless chatter of fangbangers was almost eerie. I headed straight to my office, although it was more like Pam's office now. I smiled at the way she had organised everything on the desk in ordered little piles. She had always been coordinated. I looked at the clock on the wall. I had two hours until sundown and I could do much of what I needed to do before Pam arrived. That would give me more time to speak with her.

I started by calling Diane Right and purchasing the building next door for Sookie's bar. Then Alcide. I arranged for him to take a look at the building and give me a price to convert it into her dream diner. I swore him to secrecy and hoped this was a gift she would like. It was always so hard to tell.

I arranged interviews with agencies for nannies and PA's. With Sookie's new condition I was even more eager to secure her some help. I didn't hold much hope that the process would be easy, even if Sookie had agreed, but it needed to be done. Once I had gone over the monthly Kingdom reports and answered a few emails I began work on the press release. I kept it short and simple.

Mr and Mrs Northman would like to announce that they are expecting a child. It has yet to be confirmed the gender of the child but both parents are very excited about the new addiction to their family. All questions will be answered at the upcoming interview with the VOX network.

With that done I dialled my PR manager. I smiled at the gulp before he spoke. Fear was a good thing. It showed intelligence.

"M-Mr Northman. What can I do for you?"

"David I need you to arrange an interview with the VOX network and I am emailing you a press release to be sent out as soon as possible. If you have any further ideas or questions call me." I snapped my phone shut. I loved the last word.

"What are you smiling so smugly about?" Pam asked as she floated into the office. I hadn't felt her arrive as all my energy was being used focusing on Sookie. I could still feel her sleeping sounding, happy and safe.

"Hello Pamela. You look lovely this evening." Her proud smile was one of a confidence that I had always admired about her.

"Don't I always, master?" I chuckled at her arrogance. "How is our lovely Queen tonight?"

"She is unwell and at home sleeping." Her obvious concern was pleasing. I liked that she respected Sookie and had actual affection for her.

"Nothing serious I hope."

"I believe it is normal during pregnancy." The coldness of my tone told her that I wasn't so sure about that fact.

"What can I do?" I smiled up at my child. She was doing more than she should already in order to give me time with Sookie but she never failed to serve me.

"I need to discuss my new arrangement with you. I could use your opinion." I began to regale all the details of the diner and Sookie's wish to live a 'normal' life. I told her of our plans to employ a nanny and a PA for Sookie.

"And she agreed to the help?" Pam's voice was incredulous and I chuckled.

"Yes. She has been quite compliant lately." Pam giggled like a school girl and I knew what she was thinking before she said it.

"Only because she wishes to comply. It sounds like a good plan to me. It suits Sookie perfectly and it allows you to be in close proximity to her and control the situation. What will you do about security?" I could hear the waitresses setting up the bar now and someone had turned on the music.

"That is what I wished to discuss with you. Sookie doesn't like having a guard all of the time and I cannot lie to her and have a team spy on her, even if it is for her safety."

"Yes but she will be a prime target for your enemies and with the diner being so close to Fangtasia she will probably have to suffer many of the vermin. She will have to be protected. You could probably get away with employing a guard for the diner under the reasons I just explained and then she wouldn't feel like you were calling her weak. It would be for the protection of her customers and she wouldn't be followed, only guarded at work. You already have a guard at home and she is protected here..." She trailed off and I noticed that the vermin were now coming into the bar. The night had begun and I could smell their collected bodies like sewage. Only Sookie's blood held any appeal for me now and I wondered if I would be able to drink from her while she was pregnant.

Yes. Blood should be given too. Ludwig.

I looked at the text message with a smile. It certainly was handy having such a talented Doctor even if she was the world's most annoying and irritable dwarf.

Fuck you Northman.

I laughed and returned my gaze to Pam.

"I think you may be right. I will have to discuss it with Sookie but it shouldn't be too hard for her accept a guard for the diner if it is to protect others. I will have to consider who would be suitable. It needs to be someone strong and experienced in dealing with all worlds. It has to be someone we trust and someone who will get along with Sookie." I collected the few things I needed and stood. "I shall think on it." Pam stood too.

"Have you looked over my report?" I nodded and then smiled at her.

"You have done very well Pam. I shall not forget your loyalty. Once the diner is complete I shall be able to return to my duties and you shall have a much deserved reward."

"Thank you Eric, but I am pleased to serve you. You know that." I nodded and headed for the door. I looked back once to see Pam taking my seat and resuming her work. I knew all too well how much she liked to serve me and it had concerned me many times. I often wondered if I was holding her back. She had already proven she was more than capable of running her own Queendom but she did nothing but work for me. I hoped that she was happy in the life I had damned her to. She had always professed to love this life but sometimes I caught a feeling from her. I slight feeling of...longing.

Sookie was still sleeping when I returned and I spent some time planning the alterations to covert the bedroom into a nursery. I would look forward to discussing my idea's with Sookie in the morning. I would have many things to do in the morning before she rose. I had to meet Alcide and I wanted to get some supplies for the nursery. I read for a few hours, marvelling at how much people knew about babies and pregnancy now. I wondered sadly if the knowledge would have spared my unfortunate siblings. I began to get excited when I discovered the heartbeat and gender of my child would be discernable in just a couple of weeks. I hoped I would be able to hear the child as I could hear Sookie.

I curled up beside my wife and I could tell from the bond that she was feeling much better now. She curled to me instinctively and sighed. That motion never ceased to warm me right to my core. The look of peace on her face was sublime. It was like she had been waiting for me and once she found me, she could truly rest, content. I drifted off to sleep holding her tight, a hand on her stomach.


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

I woke to the angry buzzing of my phone. I fumbled for it and was unsettled to see the caller ID. Jason.

"Sookie," his whispered voice was full of panic and it sent a cold shiver down my spine. "Sookie I need you to help me. She has me Sookie and I can't get away."

"Who has you Jason? Where are you?" I was almost screaming into the phone.

"Na- No! Don't, please don't!" The line went dead and my mind scrambled in panic as I tried to work out what I should do. I was still groggy and I couldn't think of a good plan. I looked down and saw that Eric was gone. I couldn't afford to wait. For all I know some bitch was killing him right now. I took a deep breath and thought of only Jason.

He was chained to the wall. It was a dark, stone room but the many candles provided plenty of light. His head was slumped forward on his chest but I could see that he was breathing. The phone was lying on the floor in pieces. It had been thrown against the wall. I could hear shuffling above me and I guess whoever had done this was upstairs.

As quietly as I could I crept over to my brother. As I pulled his head back his eyes shot open making me jump back slightly.

"Oh Sookie," his voice was shaky and saturated with relief. "She's a witch. We have to get outta here." Well duh! I looked around and couldn't see the key so I closed my eyes and willed the chains to open. Jason fell to the floor with a groan and the noise above us became still.

In the blink of an eye a small woman with long black hair and small features was standing before me. She punched me in the stomach and I flew into the far wall.

"Not trying to escape are you Jason? After you told me you would be with me forever." Her voice was full of hatred and hurt. I dipped into her mind. _He told me he loved me and then he ditched me like a common whore. I am going to cause him so much pain that he will be begging for me to kill him. If this bitch gets in my way I will kill her too. You don't mess with Natalie Marsh and get away with it. _She turned on me and began chanting in a language I didn't recognise. She seemed shocked that nothing happened.

"What are you?" She asked me with mild curiosity. My stomach was really hurting and I couldn't mollify my rage.

"I'm your worst nightmare bitch. Witch magic doesn't work on me anymore." I felt my anger flow through my veins and I held out a hand giving it a channel. The bitch was flung across the room and pinned midway up the wall. She kicked and thrashed but she couldn't move. A blue haze flooded out of me and she screamed as her body rocked and began to tremor. Blood began to trickle from her mouth and nose and after a few seconds she fell in heap on the floor. Ding dong the bitch is dead.

I took Jason's hand and popped him to his house. The bedroom looked like a natural disaster site but the bed was clear and he fell on it with a deep satisfaction. My arm was clutching my now cramping stomach but I had to take care of my brother first. I closed my eyes and willed him to forget this had ever happened. I would get the story from him later. I thought briefly that I had killed another person but I didn't have it in me to feel bad about that. I had acted on impulse to protect myself and my family. Looking back I could think of a thousand ways it would have been better to act but it had happened and there was no point looking back. I was just wishing I could go home before the pain became too much and everything went black.

* * *

I was out for my evening walk thinking about everything I had done wrong. I still couldn't stop thinking about Sookie. I had wronged her in so many ways. I hadn't even fully understood the true extent of her suffering until that dreadful night when she had sacrificed herself. She had been quick to forgive me and I knew I didn't deserve the high regard she still had for me. I really did hope to find a way to show her how happy I was for her. I would never stop loving her but I was honoured to be her friend and able to see how happy she was with the Viking. I smiled thinking of all the ways he had tormented me by parading her before me. I was quick to rise but that didn't change my acceptance. Their child was just the final straw. She had always wanted a family and he had given her the impossible. I couldn't hate him for making her so happy when I had made her so sad.

I took in the noises of the cemetery. Strange how a place for the dead was teaming with so much life. Birds fluttered and chirped in the trees above. Rodents scurried and squeaked below. I let my superior senses scan wider and was alarmed by the groan of pain I heard. With vampiric speed I ran towards the sound and gasped with horror at the sight.

"Sookie! Sookie what happened to you?" She was lying in a ball on the grave of her grandmother. I could smell blood but I could not see its source. The sweet nectar caused my fangs to run down and I scanned the area for any sign of the threat. There was nothing.

"Sookie can you hear me?" Her eyes were wide with pain but she seemed lost to the agony. She moaned weakly as I lifted her and carried her back to my house. She was in a bad way and I began to worry for her. What had caused this? Where was her husband?

I placed her carefully on my bed and hurried to the phone. I hated to call him not knowing what had happened to her but I needed help. Not to mention, if he found out I had her and didn't tell him...well I didn't want to think about what he would do.

"Northman," his voice was angry and pained. I could hear his suffering and I knew he had nothing to do with whatever had happened to her.

"Eric I just found Sookie in the graveyard. She is conscious but in a lot of pain. I don't know what happened to her."

"Keep her safe. I will be there." The line went dead and I turned back to look at the love of my life. I sat down on the bed beside her and took her hand in mine. Her skin was cold to the touch, even for me.

"B-Bill?" Her eyes found my face and she looked more alert now but the pain was heavy in her voice.

"I'm here. Eric's on the way. What happened to you Sookie?" She looked at me with penetrating eyes.

"Get Ludwig!" She demanded but her voice was so soft I could only just hear the words. I nodded and began dialling. The dwarf answered on the first ring and told me I had to warm her up. I ran to get the blankets I kept in my closet downstairs. When I returned the dwarf was standing over her and the look on her face filled me with rage. I wanted to destroy whoever had done this to her.

She peeled off the jeans and I looked with terror. Her stomach was black with bruises and there was blood...

"NO!" I gasped. I had seen women miscarry but I had never thought Sookie would know that pain. She couldn't.

"Back off fang. The baby is fine. Little lady used all her power protecting the kid so there was none left for herself." I heard the door crash and in the blink of an eye Eric was on the bed holding her hand. She smiled weakly at him. I noticed he had two red streaks down his face.

"Hey," she whispered. He smiled back at her but even to me it looked forced. He was livid and ready for vengeance. I would help him. We all looked at the doctor with anxiety. If we needed to breathe we would be holding it.

"Well little lady. I would say you have done a damn good job. You managed to protect that child of yours and there is no harm to the baby at all. You have some internal injuries but nothing serious. Your biggest problem is the draining. You used a lot of power and you are going to have to recharge. I bet with some of your vampire's blood these injuries will go fairly quick. Just eat, drink and get plenty of rest. If you need pain relief you should take some Tylenol." Sookie looked relieved and I saw a few tears roll down her face.

"Thanks," she whispered. The doctor nodded with a cautious smile and turned to glower at Eric.

"She is to stay calm and relaxed. Nothing that upsets her." He nodded and she vanished. Eric looked down at her and wiped away her tears.

"I was so scared for the baby when she punched me." Eric snarled and I noticed my hands had turned into talons. I was ready to obliterate.

"Who? Sookie who did this to you?" Eric was using all of his power to control his natural reactions.

"I killed her sweetie," Sookie smiled up at him and her eyes rolled slightly. She was fighting hard to stay awake.

"What happened Sookie?" I asked. I was almost as eager to know as the Viking. I could think of nothing but revenge and blood.

"Long story. Over now." With that she fell into unconsciousness.

"Eric I want to help you obliterate whatever hurt her." He didn't look away from her face. She looked so peaceful in sleep. All the pain drained and she relaxed.

"Very well. I will take her home and when she wakes I will call you. I thank you for calling me." He lifted her and I noticed that he clutched her closer to his body than was necessary. I followed him out and watched helplessly as he climbed into the limo with her. I knew she would be safe now but the need for revenge wouldn't be silenced. Watching them drive away I promised the night that someone would pay.


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10

I had been frantic. I had returned from my morning tasks to find her gone. There was no note and her phone was still beside the bed. The guards knew nothing of her disappearance and all I could feel from the bond was that she was in pain. The pregnancy was somehow blocking her location from me.

I destroyed two cars and up rooted three trees in my anger. I had everybody looking for her but there was no sign anywhere. As the day drew on my anger and panic grew. I could feel her weakening and I was helpless. I did not like being helpless.

Then Compton calls just as I am informing Pam and getting all vampires to join the search. I raced to his house through the skies, ordering my car to follow me.

The first thing I saw was the blood and everything inside me died again. In that second I was re-living every nightmare I had ever had. I forced myself to focus until I knew all the facts. I could hear her heart beat and that calmed me slightly. She was at least alive...for now. Seeing her smile at me was all it took. My fear and dread turned to fury. I saw the pain in her eyes and her beaten body. I wanted to kill. I wanted to kill. I wanted to kill everyone. Instead, I smiled back trying to give her my strength. She was so weak and I looked forward to the time when she would let me turn her and become as strong as me.

The doctors assurance that the baby was fine seemed to calm all of my wife's distress and it eased mine too although it came as no surprise she had protected our child. That was what she did. She protected those she loved no matter the cost to herself. I listened to the doctor's instructions and thought that perhaps she was trying to communicate something to me without distressing my wife. I couldn't work it out. I was too busy trying to keep control of the desire to kill.

I hardly noticed Bill as he offered to help bring retribution, my thoughts on getting her home. She needed to rest and then I would demand to know every little detail. She claimed the culprit was dead, that it was over but I would make sure. I would force all involved to suffer the wrath of a Viking. But first rest.

I put her on the bed and fed her my blood. It wasn't easy, much was spilt, but she swallowed automatically. I placed her in the bath and washed her clean of her wounds. I wouldn't risk tasting her while I was in such a blood lust. Once she was clean I laid her on the bed and wrapped her in blankets and sheets so she could keep warm. She didn't stir once. I lay next to her keeping my arm over her protectively. My mind raced as I tried to formulate plans to seek my revenge but I did not have enough information. The monster in me longed to wake her and demand to know everything but I could not be that cruel. I wanted her to rest.

"Eric?" Her voice was timid and still a little pained but she sounded stronger. I smiled down at her.

"I am here." I stroked her golden hair away from her face and she hummed at my touch.

"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have done that but I couldn't think of another way." I could feel her remorse through the bond but I did not understand her words. I was desperate to know but Ludwig's words rang through my mind. She _is to stay calm and relaxed._

"I need to know what happened." My voice was colder than usual and I had not intended it to be so but I had been waiting for fifteen long hours. Sookie sighed and tried to sit up. She was still weak but I helped her up and she seemed quite comfortable.

"I know. You're not going to like it." Her face was the picture of guilt and I wondered what she could possibly have done to make her look at me that way.

"Tell me," I urged.

"Well Jason called me saying he had been taken and he needed my help." I tensed. Every muscle in my body locking down to try and control the maddening rage. Of course the worthless brother was involved. "Well his call was cut off and I was scared that he was being killed so I didn't have time to think of a plan. I popped to him and he was chained up in some sort of torture chamber. It was some girl who he had dumped but she was a witch!

I got him out of the chains but she came back and punched me. I don't know how she got to be so strong but she punched me in the stomach and I was thrown across the room. She tried to use her magic on me but it didn't work. She was going to kill us both but all I kept thinking was she was going to kill my baby. I didn't have chance to think about it. I killed her. All my anger just sort of exploded out of me on to her. I wanted to destroy her and protect my family." She took a deep breath as if trying to calm herself. My mind was red with blood lust. I wanted to rip this witch apart for hurting her. I could barely control my body and my hands were clamped into tight balls.

"So she is dead," she continued and it sounded like she was trying to distance herself from the telling of the story. "I grabbed hold of Jason and popped us to his house. The place was a mess but I figured it didn't matter. I dumped him on the bed and wished him to forget everything that had happened. I was going to just pop back home but I drained faster than I thought and everything went black. I woke up in the cemetery and it hurt. I couldn't call out or move, I was too weak. I just lay there as the pain got worse. I was so scared that I was going to lose the baby. I don't think I have ever been that scared before. But then Bill came...you know the rest."

"How did you get there?" The bright proud smile she gave me was totally out of place in this story.

"I think the baby did it. The last thing I remember thinking was I wish I was at home and then I pictured gran giving me a hug. I think the baby knew I needed help and was trying to take me home." I looked at her astonished. I couldn't think about that right now.

"Sookie how could you have been so foolish?" I didn't want to admonish her but all I could picture was her cold, dead body lying limp in my arms. I couldn't get the image out of my head or the cold, desolate feeling. The **black hole. Where love and joy had turned to pain and grief. The endless abyss of torture. The feeling I had knowing she was gone and aching for her with every cell in my body. That feeling was set in my heart and my whole existence flared with the need to prevent such pain again. **

** "I know, I should have stopped to think but he is my brother Eric. I had to save him. What was I supposed to do? I didn't have time to waste and I acted on instinct. It all worked out." She shrugged her small shoulders and I felt my ire rise up again.**

** "You should NOT have gone without me. You should NOT have used your powers and you will NOT be doing anything like that again. I forbid you to leave the house until you have fully recovered and then you are going to take things very steady as you have been told!" I was shouting at her now and I felt my fangs extend fully in my anger. Her eyes widened at my reaction and I saw her nostrils flare. She jumped out of the bed and headed to the door. I was faster and blocked her exit.**

** "Get out of my way Eric." She spoke each word slowly and deliberately.**

** "NO! You will get back into bed!" She looked up at me and I could feel her own anger raging.**

** "I get that you are angry. I get that you were scared. I am sorry but you WILL NOT tell me what to do!" She began tugging on my arms to try and get me to move. I knew that she was too weak to use her powers and pop out so I just stood firm.**

** "Do as you're told! Get back into bed." I commanded. She stopped tugging and looked up at me. In her eyes I saw the depth of her fury. It matched my own and it was wound intricately with her stubbornness. And then her eyes seemed to empty of everything for a second and were replaced with...vulnerability?**

* * *

** I couldn't believe what he was saying. No one ordered me about like that. No one! Especially not Eric Northman! Who did he think he is? I was still feeling pretty lousy otherwise I would have popped my ass to the other side of the planet by now. As it was, I was totally trapped. I tugged on his arm trying to get him to budge but I knew it was futile. He wouldn't move and I wasn't strong enough to make him. There was no way I was going back to bed now though. I tried to think of the best plan of action but my mind was consumed with the pain and feeling of hopelessness. I began to feel like a caged animal and an almost claustrophobic fear washed through me. I had to get out. Now!**

** I began to see things. A dark room. I was chained to a table and the mocking voice of Steve Newlin laughed above me. I felt sick. **

** A car trunk. Two hands gripped me and a blinding pain shot in my neck. I was going to die.**

** A large room filled with dead bodies. Blood was everywhere and bits of flesh was scattered amongst the debris of a falling down building.**

** The eyes of a deranged killer. His hands around my throat as he tried to choke the life out of me.**

** I screamed and lost all feeling in my body. Everything went black.**

* * *

** I caught her just as she began to fall. She lost consciousness so quickly and I couldn't understand the cause. One minute she had been standing up to me in true Sookie Stackhouse style. A Valkyrie. My own little warrior goddess, maddeningly stubborn and pigheaded. The next minute she is an empty statue screaming and falling to the floor.**

** I placed her back on the bed and began to pace. I didn't move my eyes from her expressionless face. I didn't have long to wait. To my horror it got worse. Her face twisted in pain and she began to scream again. Her eyes remained closed but she began thrashing and writhing on the bed as if she were fighting for her life. I gripped her arms to try and stop her from hurting herself but it was no use. I couldn't stop her I could only hold her still. Her skin was like fire under my fingers and I noticed that sweat was pouring out of her, coating her in a sticky sheen.**

** "What did you do?" The dwarf demand in an unforgiving rasp. She had injected my wife with some sedative that had calmed her but the look on her face was very worried.**

** "I didn't ****_do_**** anything! What's wrong with her?" I was holding one of Sookie's hands in mine, she was still too hot.**

** "What ****_exactly_**** did you say to her?" I could see that this was somehow important although I didn't see why I needed to disclose our argument to the dwarf I began to tell her.**

** "...And I refused to move and told her to get back in bed and that's when she collapsed." **

** "You fucking idiot! I say don't upset her, keep her calm and you talk to her like a common fangbanger. Well you will be pleased to know that your little tirade could very well kill her."**

** "NO!" I gasped. "You have to help her? What's wrong with her?"**

** "I told you she had to be kept calm and relaxed. You think in your thousand years you have known pain, known suffering, Viking. This girl has felt more pain and suffering than any other creature on the planet. Ever! She has never really dealt with any of that mental baggage but she was so strong it didn't really matter. Now, thanks to her hormones, her body is filled with a maelstrom of emotion that she cannot control. That kind of emotion has an impact on the mind. Your little demonstration of male dominance made her feel weak and helpless. You trapped her causing all those nasty repressed memories to come flooding back. With her powers and the babies too I was worried she might need some help but you managed to throw her into a complete psychological meltdown. Congratulations!" Her words were filled with venom but I couldn't get upset at her impudence. I had harmed Sookie. My foolish pride and useless fear had caused her to be in this pain. I had to help her. I had to do anything I could to help her.**

** "What can I do? There has to be something I can do?" I was almost begging and that seemed to thaw the dwarf slightly.**

** "She is in a psychiatric fever. The only way she will survive is if you can pull her out of it. You will have to be very nurturing and affectionate. Show her nothing but love and peace. She will suffer fits. You must talk calmly to her and make sure she does not harm herself. She will suffer high and low temperatures, you must compensate. If you can ride it out until she can regain consciousness you should be in the clear but it will be far from over. She will remain weak. There will be sickness, headaches, panic attacks and even self-harm. Can you handle that Viking?" I nodded mutely. Stunned into silence by the enormity of what I had done. I had not had any insight into the depth of my wife's suffering. I had not known the burden she bared while carrying my child. I had not understood the delicate line she was walking. I had feared the worst and it had been my fear that had pushed her to the edge. My love would have to pull her back. I only prayed, to every god I could think of, that it was enough. It had to be enough. **


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11

The sedatives lasted for most of the day. I gave Sookie another bath, trying to rid her of the sweat and cool her. I was pleased to see that the black bruise on her stomach was almost completely gone. My blood had healed her injuries, so at least I was good for something. She did not stir once and all I could ascertain from the bond was that she was alive. It was as if something was jamming the signal. I could feel her but I couldn't discern what I was feeling.

Placing her back on the bed she whimpered and the sound stabbed at my heart. It wasn't like my bonded to be so weak. Even when she was incapacitated she was a lioness ready to strike. Now she was a victim to her own mind and I longed to pull her out. I sang to her as she slept, all the time touching her and making sure she wasn't too hot or too cold.

"LET ME GO!" She screamed and her body was shaking like she had been switched to vibrate.

"Sookie, love, you're safe. I've got you Sook." She screamed and began to thrash and flail. I took hold of her upper arms to keep her still, being careful not to damage her myself. Her legs kicked but I ignored their impact on my torso. This beating was the least I could do. This was my penance. I would gladly pay it to get her back.

It seemed to go on for days. I gave her my blood to help sustain her as she wasn't able to eat or drink. I traded hot baths and electric blankets off with ice packs and chilled flannels. Her fever and delirium was never ending. The screaming wasn't nearly as bad as the sobs and pleading.

"Master you have been with her for a week now. You need to feed and rest. Let me stay with her." I hadn't even noticed Pam enter the room. It wasn't like me to be so unobservant.

"No. I won't leave her. I won't leave her." I couldn't take my gaze from her angelic face. Even twisted in pain and fear as it had been...had it really been a week? She was still the most beautiful creature I had ever seen.

"Master we are worried for you. I promised you she will be well looked after. You must remain strong." She placed a cool hand on my shoulder and I shrugged it off quickly.

"I will not leave her!" I roared.

"Mmm, Eric?" She squirmed in the bed and held out her hand as if she was reaching for something. I took her hand in both of mine.

"I'm here Sookie. Come back to me. You are safe, I love you." She sighed and smiled. If my heart could beat it would have jumped at the sight of that smile.

"Eric," she took a deep breath as if she were trying to speak while lifting a heavy weight. "Hold me close." I didn't need telling twice. I leapt on the bed and pulled her on me. Her body over mine, her head on my chest, my arms tight around her.

"Mmm, thanks," she sighed. I kissed her hair and whispered in her ear.

"Anything for you, kär en [dear one]." I looked up at Pam who was smiling at me.

"I shall leave you to your privacy." She nodded and retreated as silently as she had come.

"Pam." I didn't have to shout, I knew she could hear me. She darted back in the room.

"There is something I need you to do for me."

I felt a mix of relief and determination. Sookie was coming back. For the first time in a week she had called straight to me. She had smiled. She was coming back and I needed to be ready for her. Ludwig had warned me that there was much to suffer still but the danger was almost over. I needed to show her love. I had to show her how sorry I was and do something for her. I knew the perfect way to show her the depth of my love. I took up a pad and pencil from the bedside table and began to write, being careful not to disturb my sleeping angel.

* * *

I felt like I had been asleep for months. My body was stiff and weak. I could feel Eric next to me and that kept me calm. It took a while to remember and I had the feeling I couldn't remember everything. The last thing I could recall was arguing with Eric. I had been so angry and a little hurt that he would try to order me about like a worthless fangbanger especially after I had apologised. I had been ready to really pitch a fit and then nothing...I don't remember what happened.

My eyes fluttered open and I reached for the lamp by the bed. It was so dark and I needed to see. I felt dazed and I needed to see where I was to try and understand. With the glow of the lamp I could see Eric's resting face. He was glorious in his sleep and I took a moment to marvel at the beauty before me. He had been crying. That puzzled me. What could make Eric cry? But the thick streaks of red along his cheeks were unmistakable. I brushed my fingers lightly over the red lines and his hand shot up over mine. He opened his eyes and the dazzling blue of them stunned me for a moment. They were so intense. He caught my gaze and smiled up at me. It was an odd expression. Tentative, reminding me of the old Eric I had known for a few short days in my house.

"You've been crying?" The confusion in my voice made it a question.

"I was worried about you," he said simply. I still didn't understand. I didn't have chance to ask. In a rush of speed he was sat up and cradling me to his chest. "I am so sorry Sookie. I lost my temper and I spoke to you like....I had no right to speak to you like that. I was just so scared that you were going to get hurt again. I love you and I can never be without you." He was holding me so tight I was struggling to breathe but I could feel his relief and remorse over the bond.

"I understand Eric. I love you too." I let him hold me for a few minutes knowing he just needed to feel me safe in his arms but then I couldn't ignore my human needs any longer. I pushed him away and he let me. I headed to the bathroom not looking back at him. When I came out he was still sat on the bed, eyes fixed on me.

"What happened Eric? I mean I remember us fighting. I was so angry I wanted to...but then nothing. What happened to me? How come I don't have any bruising or pain anymore?" I cuddled back into his lap and he nuzzled into my neck.

"I gave you my blood." He was holding something back from me. It didn't make any sense. He shouldn't have been so upset or distressed and I had never healed that quickly before.

"Why did it heal me so fast? It normally takes a day or so to heal me properly." He paused stroking my arm and I felt his body lock down.

"Sookie you have been unconscious for a week now. Our argument put you in some sort of mental fit. I promise you I will never try and command you like that again." The pain in his voice pulled at my heart. He shouldn't sound like that. He should be happy.

"Yes you will, Eric. It's who you are but don't worry. I love you anyway." I kissed him and it was like I was trying to heal his grief with my mouth. My stomach chose that moment to snarl and Eric pulled away instantly.

"You're hungry. You need to eat. What do you want?" I placed my hands on my stomach and was shocked to feel a tiny bump there.

"Eric, I have a baby bump!" I placed his hands over the lump and beamed up at him. He smiled back at me but it was hesitant.

"I know. You are developing fast. That little power surge of yours fed the baby. The doctor said that we should expect anything and everything now. What do you want to eat?"

"Oh, hmmm, I would like a pizza. Do you think junior would let me have chocolate cake too?" He laughed and kissed my head.

"Let's find out. Wait there and I will be right back my queen." He sped out and I could feel his joy slowly coming back.

I plodded to the bathroom and looked in the big mirror at my reflection. I was a mess. My hair was in disarray, there were dark circles under my eyes and I looked too thin. But, my eyes were focused on the way my stomach jutted out slightly. It was only a tiny bump but it was there. I cradled it in my hands and smiled. My talented child.

I decided to take a shower and get dressed. I had no idea what time it was but if I had been in bed for a week it would do me good to get cleaned up. I wondered how Jason was. Bill too, as he had saved me. I was just putting on a simple knit dress as Eric arrived carrying two boxes. He frowned at my newly clothed appearance.

"My body aches from being still. I need to move about but I won't complain if you help me and I only want to go eat in the den, ok?" He gave me his arm and I took it without complaint. I know he wasn't happy but I simply couldn't sit still. It felt like I had forgotten how to move and I was very grateful for his help. I must have looked like a penguin waddling along the passage and hobbling down the stairs but it felt good to be moving.

"Hello Sookie, glad to see you are feeling better," Will said as we passed him in the main bedroom, soon to be the nursery. I smiled up at him and kept going as Eric had my eyes covered. He wouldn't let me see what he had done to the nursery yet.

"Can I get you anything Miss Sookie?" Kale said with a bright smile as I came into the den.

"I would love something warm to drink." She nodded and dashed off.

"Are you cold?" Eric looked like he was interrogating me as he lowered me into the couch. I felt really bad for everything I had put him through. I hadn't meant to cause so much distress and I promised myself that I would double my efforts to put Eric and the baby first.

"A little," I said not wanting to cause such a fuss. He handed me the pizza box and dashed off at vampire speed. He soon came back with a blanket and covered me over.

"Thanks sweetie." He sat down at the other end of the couch and lifted my feet up onto his lap. I dug into the pizza. It was the nicest thing I had ever eaten. It barely touched the sides, I ate it so quickly and when Kale came in with a decaf coffee I drank it down despite the burning at the back of my throat.

"Thanks. I needed that!" I exclaimed with a sigh. She smiled back at me like a worried mother.

"I am just glad you're up and about again. Let me know if you need anything." She kissed my cheek and then pottered off to do laundry. It confused me the way everyone was treating me like I was made of glass. I loved them all but it was strange having them all so worked up.

"Eric," I said with a frown. He was watching me with hawk like eyes. "I am so sorry for causing you to worry. I promise I won't do anything that reckless again. I just..." I started to cry and had to cover my face with my hands from the shame of it. I felt utterly lost. I didn't understand what had happened to me to make all this fuss. Why had I been unconscious for a week? Why had Eric cried?

"Sookie, you can't change who you are. You just can't resist a distress call and I am proud of you for that. You protected our baby and that is the important thing but promise me one thing, lover." He took my hands and gently pulled then away so he could look in my eyes.

"What?" I sniffed.

"Let me help. I want to protect you so much that I am ready to lock you up and throw away the key. You are so eager to help others you fling yourself into dangerous situations with no regard for your own safety. We both like to get our way and do what we want without discussion. We both need to learn to compromise. If you promise to tell me and let me help then I will promise to try harder at trusting you." He licked away my tears. I had stopped crying now and as I thought about what he was saying I realised again how much I loved this man. I don't care what he said, I didn't deserve him.

"Sounds fair. I promise Eric." He smiled and kissed me lightly. I could feel he was still shaken which explained why he was being so tentative.

"Good. Would you like chocolate cake now?" He leered at me and I giggled.

"Oh, yes please!" He handed me the small box and my mouth filled with saliva at the rich gooey chocolate goodness. For a minute I thought he was going to feed me but he just passed me the box and a spoon. I took a deep sniff and, with near vampiric quickness, darted to the downstairs toilet.

I didn't quite make it in time and some spurted on the floor. Eric was right behind me, of course, and I asked him, between heaves, to go get my tooth brush. I had only eaten pizza so it ended quickly. I sat back on my legs and just tried to ignore the feelings shooting around my body. If being pregnant made you feel this bad why would any woman do it more than once?

"Here," Eric helped me stand, well more than helped. He pulled me to my feet and handed me my toothbrush. I cleaned my teeth and felt a little better once the bitter taste was out of my mouth.

"Well, that confirms it. _Your_ child wants to kill me. No chocolate." Eric chuckled.

"_Our_ child is clearly very special." Damn him! I wanted to be irritable but a comment like that couldn't help but make me smile.

"I already knew that. Junior managed to teleport me by reading my mind. Has anything else happened while I have been down?" Eric came from the door, where he had been standing, to wrap his arms around me. I think he could tell I was feeling really weak. He helped me back to the den and I curled up into his side. We both placed our hands on my tiny bump and I couldn't help but feel love for the little monster. I didn't really mind giving up chocolate. I would give up oxygen if it meant bringing my child safely into the world. Eric just felt relived and insanely protective so I pressed myself deeper into him.

"The baby didn't do anything else although I can hear a heartbeat now. It sounds like a stampede of horses." His voice was tender.

"Really? I wish I could hear." I was excited and not a little bit jealous.

"You will be able to hear at your doctor's appointment tomorrow. We should also find out the sex of the baby tomorrow."

"What would you prefer, a girl or a boy?" He was playing with my hair and I was fiddling with the edge of the blanket.

"It doesn't matter to me. I will love our child no matter what they are or what they become. Do you have a preference?" I thought about that for a brief moment.

"No. I just..." He looked down at me surprised and raised an eyebrow to tell me to go on. "Well, I just hope that if it is a boy he ends up like you and not like Jason. God knows I love my brother but he can just be so, so foolish." Eric laughed and the sound of it made me smile. If I was honest that had been a worry of mine for a long time. I had always hoped to have children but I worried that I wouldn't raise them right.

"Don't worry, lover. If we are blessed with a son he will be nothing like your brother. We will see to that. My fear is that your stubbornness will be passed down. It is clearly a Stackhouse family trait and I don't think I could handle another pigheaded individual under this roof." I smiled coyly at the snipe.

"Well you can always sleep outside Mr I am always right, do as I say, High and Mighty." He ignored my teasing with a smile and change of topic.

"Do you have any name ideas?"

"Maybe but I want to hear your ideas first." I had always wanted to name my child something different but I didn't want my wish to influence Eric. It should be a shared choice.

"I don't have any ideas. It is traditional to name a child after the parents but I don't have any desire to follow that tradition. I thought maybe you would like to name a girl after your gran?" I looked up at him with affectionate surprise.

"Aww sweetie that is such a thoughtful idea." I leaned up to kiss him. "Actually I always wanted to name a daughter Astra. For a boy I thought Daniel was a good name. What do you think?" He brushed my hair off my face making my skin tingle from the contact.

"I think they are perfect but if we have a daughter can we use Adel as the middle name? I really think it is important that we honour your grandmother as she was so important in your life."

"Sure I think she would love that. What about if it's a boy though?" I wasn't going to say it but there was no way I was using either my brother's or my father's names.

"What do you think of Sigdan?" It was such an usual name...

"Perfect! So it's either Astra Adel Northman or Daniel Sigdan Northman." My hands found their way back down to my bump.

"Sounds good to me. I thought naming the child was supposed to be really hard and cause lots of arguments." I looked up at him with narrowed eyes.

"What made you think that?"

"That's what it says in one of my 'getting ready for the baby' books. Pam brought me a pile of them and I have been reading them to learn about pregnancy and what we need to prepare for. I read them to you too." I took his hands and placed them on my stomach.

"Well I guess that just proves we were meant to be together. We don't even argue when a book tells us we should. What else did you learn?" He didn't have chance to tell me because the baby kicked. It was the most amazing feeling in the world. For the first time I could feel my child moving inside me. My whole body filled with love and joy. It suddenly became real. I was going to be a mom.

"Eric, did you feel that?" The reverent expression on his face told me that he had.

"Is that..?"

"The baby kicked...there it goes again!" I couldn't believe it. A small part of my brain told me that I should be worried as it was too soon for anything like this but the larger part was too preoccupied doing an internal happy dance. Eric seemed to share my awe as he was looking at me like I had performed a miracle and his happiness and love floated over the bond in waves.

"We're really going to be parents, aren't we?" I said dazed. I saw the flash in his eyes as he leant over to kiss me.

"The best parents in the world." His lips seized mine in a searing kiss that had me gasping for breath in seconds but I didn't care. I was so happy it felt like thousands of tiny explosions were going off in my heart. I was married to the man I loved and we were having a baby. A talented child. Astra or Daniel, it didn't matter. I loved that child inside me more than I thought it was possible to love anything. It wasn't the way I loved Eric. With all of my heart and all of my soul. With a longing that burned. It was more instinctual. Like I had the rarest jewel and it had to be treasured, nurtured, protected and loved. I wanted to hold on to it tight and keep it warm so that it wouldn't have to know the darkness in the world. I wanted to teach it everything I knew. I wanted to worship it because it was mine and it was Eric's. I suddenly understood why mother's were always talking about their children and making you look at pictures. The world had shifted slightly and my child, our child, was at the centre.


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter 12

I must have fallen asleep because when I awoke it was getting dark and Eric was sprawled out beside me on the couch. He was too tall so his feet were dangling off the end. He had his face pressed into my neck and his arm was draped over me. My face was smushed into the back of the couch but I was really comfortable so I didn't move. It was still strange to sleep with a dead guy but I was comforted by the feel of his long body beside mine. I knew he was sleeping because I could feel the tranquillity through the bond. He had obviously been in desperate need of some sleep so I was careful not to move so that I wouldn't wake him.

"Well what are you two up to?" I smiled at the familiar voice.

"Sleeping. Don't wake him," I whispered.

"I wouldn't dream of it but to think I found the mighty Eric Northman asleep," she giggled and I had to bite my lip to keep from laughing at her joy.

"Pam, what are you doing here?"

"Well it's nice to see you too!" She sounded offended.

"I didn't mean it like that. I'm sorry. Dear sweet Pam, what can I do for you tonight? Is that better?"

"Much." I tried to turn slightly so that I could see her but I was being weighted down by a Viking...I wasn't going anywhere. "Would you like some help getting free of your captor?"

"Yes please," I groaned. I didn't want to disturb him but I really needed the toilet now. Pam lifted his arm giving me the space I needed to climb out without pushing him away.

"He must really be tired if that didn't wake him!" She sounded surprised. I smiled but it wasn't a real smile. I was too busy feeling bad for causing him to be so sleep deprived. Once I was free and could pop without causing him to roll I headed to the bathroom.

"So what _can_ I do for you?" I asked as I came back into the den. I had to stifle another giggle. Pam was taking a photo of Eric sleeping using her phone. "I dare you to draw on him and then take a picture." Her eyes flashed with the challenge.

"Only if you let me draw on you too." I rolled my eyes at her hungry leer. She never gave up.

"So?"

"I am here because Eric told me to be here." I knew from her evasiveness that he must have some sort of surprise for me.

"Not giving anything away, huh?" I sat down in the chair nearest the fire and held my hands out to the flames. I was still a little cold although the sleep seemed to have cured me of my aches and pains.

"Never!" Damn melodramatic vampires!

"I guess we will just have to sit and wait for him to wake up. How bad was it, Pam?" She looked at me unhappily and my stomach twisted into knots at her expression.

"Bad." I didn't need her to say anything else.

"I'm sorry," I whispered in shame.

"Don't blame yourself. He is just as stubborn as you are and you both have a pretty nasty temper. It was bound to happen eventually. You're better now, yes?" Was I better? I felt alright. A little weaker than normal maybe but nothing serious to note.

"I think so. I mean I can use my powers now and I am not in pain or anything. I can't believe how fast the baby has grown in a weak. I even felt a kick earlier." Her eyes lit up with intrigue and she moved closer to me.

"May I?" She asked holding out a hand.

"Go ahead." She placed her hand on my tiny bump and I swear she almost looked...enamoured. I never would have thought having a baby would have such an effect on the blond super model vampire (who was now out dressing me with a Gucci dress and Manolo Blahnik boots). I felt sorry for her. She had been given an immortal life but at the cost of having her own family. "Sookie, I hope this is not out of line but I want you to know that no matter what I will be there for you and your child. I owe my fealty to Eric as my maker but I give it to you as my friend. I always liked you Sookie and I feel you deserve to be looked after. After all, you looked after the planet. You have saved my life more than once." She crouched down and her hands moved to my knees. "Thanks Pam. I don't know what to say. I think of you as part of this family too. I see you as sort of a sister so I guess what I am trying to say is that you are always welcome here." She leaned forward and kissed my cheek and then resumed her usual casual stance. "Thank you Sookie. Now, what can I get you my queen?" I frowned up at her. Sometimes it was easy to forget she was Eric's child, sometimes it was not. "I am a little hungry. Could you see if Kale has left anything for me in the kitchen?" I didn't even have time to thank her before she was gone. "Here your majesty," I stuck my tongue out at her and she sniggered, handing me a bowl of chicken curry with rice and a can of coke. I took them and began munching. It was very nice and I was pleased to be over my sickness so soon. Pam and I talked about the baby shower she was planning for tomorrow night and how life at Fangtasia was going. She told me that Bill had come to see her after my rescue because Eric wouldn't permit anyone to come near me but the doctor. I asked her to invite him to the baby shower. "I understood it was traditional for only women to attend," she protested. "It is but I owe him for finding me and I would like to see him. I bet Eric will be there." "Of course, but really Sookie! Bill Compton. It is supposed to be a fun occasion." She sat down in the chair opposite me and folded her arms as if trying to make a point. "Bill's not _that_ bad. We did have some fun." "Bill Compton wouldn't know fun if it came up to him and screamed 'BITE ME VAMPIRE!'" Eric said sitting up and smiling at me with an evil grin. Pam began to laugh but I felt offended on Bill's behalf. "What are you talking about anyway?" He asked looking at Pam. He came over to me, lifted me up like I was a dinner plate, sat down in my chair and sat me on his lap. "Sookie wants me to invite Bill to the baby shower tomorrow." She raised her eyebrows and Eric growled softly in my ear. "And why would Sookie want you to do a thing like that?" His question was loaded with disdain. It made me shiver. "Sookie would like that because if it wasn't for Bill, Sookie would not be here right now and she wants to say thank you." I spat the words and for a second the room began to spin. My eyes rolled back in my head and my head became too heavy for my neck. Pam jumped up and sped to my side. Eric pulled me closer to his chest so that my head could rest on his big shoulders. "Sookie?" Pam sounded like she was about to panic- which was a nice change from her usual bored tone. "I- I'm fine. I just got a bit dizzy s'all." I closed my eyes and pressed my face into Eric's chest to try and clear my head. I thought I could hear a voice but it was only a whisper and I couldn't make out the words. "All better now," I said cheerfully. The spell had gone as quickly as it had come. "That was weird. I wonder what caused it?" I nuzzled into Eric happily. I suddenly felt the need to be near him and let him protect me. "Are you sure you feel alright?" Eric asked me skeptically. "Yep. I just feel a bit clingy. It's weird. I feel like I _have_ to be really close to you and I swear I can hear someone's thoughts although I am using my strongest shield. It's just a whisper though and I can't make out the words. Eric pulled his arms tight around me and I sighed causing him to smile smugly. He loved to be Mr. Protective. "I think you need a distraction," Pam said suddenly and it was loaded with meaning and excitement. "If y'all have something planned for me then you better get on with it because I intend on having a long hot bath and going to bed very early tonight." My face was buried in Eric's chest again so I couldn't see his smile but I could feel it. "Very well," Eric gave into Pam's silent pleading. "Would you like to walk or can I carry you?" He asked. I moved back and looked at him. He was serious. He was actually giving me the choice. I kissed him lightly on the lips. "You can carry me." He didn't need telling twice and I was even more pleased when he picked me up in his arms and walked at a relatively human pace. I didn't want his vampiric speed to cause another dizzy spell. He took me up to the main bedroom on the third floor. Pam was already there having sped past us, too impatient to go at Eric's considerate pace. She had turned on the lights and I could hear a soft melody floating down the stairs as we approached. "Ta Da!" She said dramatically spreading her hands in a 'look at this' gesture. They had converted it into a nursery. The walls had been painted a powder blue and they had white clouds all around the top. The ceiling was a bright yellow and the carpet was now a cream colour. There was a beautiful white crib on one side and a changing table on the other. Over the crib there was a baby mobile and that was where the music was coming from. In one corner there was a white wardrobe and a chest of draws. There was a white leather rocking chair and foot stool in the other. Beside the chair there was a bookcase which was crammed full of books. There were books on looking after a baby and nursery rhymes. I laughed at the book of fairy tales and it gave me a wonderful image of me passing on my book of fairy tales some day. I noticed that all the things from our shopping trip had been delivered and stored neatly away. I knew we still needed a lot of the basics as Eric had purchased more toys than anything. I was breath taken at the room. "It's wonderful! How did you get it done so quickly?" I asked them both. "Pam did most of the work herself," Eric said and I think I saw her blush a little. "I did the work but Eric designed it. It is supposed to be like a sunny day. What do you think?" She twirled very gracefully around the room. "I love it, thank you." I waved her over to me and hugged her. It was awkward as I was still in Eric's arms but I managed to give her a quick kiss. "I am pleased you like it. I just wish I had time to witness your reaction to the other surprises but I have to get back to the club. See you tomorrow Sookie. Goodnight Eric," she was already on her way down the stairs and calling back her goodbyes. "Night Pam," we sang in unison. "Other surprises?" I asked Eric with curiosity spread on my face. Eric didn't say anything but instead wiggled his eyebrows at me and carried me into our bathroom. He helped me out of my clothes and lowered me into the hot water. "Ah, this is nice," I said resting my head on Eric and letting him lace our fingers together. "You have no idea lover," he cooed. "There are a couple of things I wanted to share with you. I had hoped to lead up to it but as Pam has already ruined the surprise," I felt him shrug his shoulders. "I am all ears," I told him. "I know how much you wanted to get the diner done so that we can live our ordinary lives and since your...illness, I knew you wouldn't be able to work on it yourself. I promised you that I would let you have your diner and so I have set on contractors. They are doing the work already and it should be complete in about another couple of days. I wanted to surprise you but they had a problem with one of the inspections and it set them back a few days." I could hear the mixture of emotions in his voice without feeling them over the bond. He was very conflicted about still letting me go out to work and I knew that it was taking lot for him to put aside the urge to protect me. "Eric that is so nice of you. It really means a lot to me. I don't know how I can ever thank you enough." I twisted around slightly, just enough to kiss him. He chuckled into my mouth. "I know how you can thank me." "Didn't you have something else you wanted to tell me? Oh, wait! Who is doing the work on the diner, which company?" "Herveaux and Son." I turned around again to look at him. "Seriously? You called Alcide?" He nodded with a sly smile and I flung myself at him. I kissed him as hard as I could at such an awkward angle, taking him by surprise. "I love you Eric Northman!" He pulled away feeling my discomfort and turned me back to my normal position but I could feel his arousal against my back. "As I love you, but lover...why such a reaction?" "I know you don't like my friends and it just makes me love you even more, as if such a thing were possible, when you try so hard to include them in my life. I don't deserve you Eric." He began massaging small circles into my skin and I moaned. I hadn't realized how tense I was. "Don't be ridiculous Sookie. You deserve the world." I was too blissed out to argue with him. "So is that it for surprises?" I asked thinking of a few things I would like to do to show him how grateful I was. "Other than the poem, yes it is." "You wrote another poem?" The excitement in my voice was obvious as it rose through two octaves and I could feel satisfaction hitting the bond. Eric began reciting it from memory and the combination of the words and the massage sent me to another place entirely. "My Family

My family is unique as no other ever could be

A vampire king for a father

A goddess, fae princess for a mother

A miracle for a child

When I look at my family portrait I count my blessings and thank the gods

I could not have been more fortunate

I could not have more than I have

I could not, nor would not, seek more

When I am lost and alone

Or wandering through the dark

When I am scared of the demon inside

Or when I am tearing the world apart

I think of my family and I remember to smile

They remind me the power of love

The importance of home, a thing so long forgotten.

I wandered this world many times

Always seeking gratification in life

Surrounding myself in death

I did not think to look for a light

I did not seek to change

But they changed me

Renewed me

Brought me back to life

My special child

My loving wife

They found where I was hiding

In the darkest corner of this earth

Some days I think that I'm dreaming

No monster should feel such bliss

But warm arms wrap around me

Eyes call me home once again

And I know if I ever lost them

I would truly go insane

I thought once I had lost my treasure

The only thing worth living for

I thought I was lost forever

Doomed to the night like before

No words can describe such torture

Of feeling you dead in my arms.

I will not ever surrender

I will not ever let go

I swore to you we would be together

Forever is not long enough

My family

My purpose

My life

And my love

My home...I thank you for welcoming me.

I have names that I can be proud of

Husband

Father

I have so much to be grateful for

When I think of my family portrait

I don't wish for anything more

I have it all." As he said the last line he replaced his hands with his mouth and began kissing my shoulders, my neck, my throat, my face, even my eyes.

"Thank you for being there Eric," I moaned before turning around completely and lowing myself on him. We made love but it was very slow and careful. I could feel Eric's desire warring with the need to be gentle and keep me safe. I wouldn't force him. I knew he was anxious to get me to the doctor's and I was looking forward to finding out the cause of his distress. He was still very worried about me and I was too afraid to read his thoughts to find out why. I just held him close and let him protect me and guide me in any way he wanted.


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter 13

I woke early and rejoiced at the sounds around me. I could hear Sookie's steady breathing and I watched her chest heave up and down in perfect sequence. I could also hear two very strong, very different heartbeats. Sookie's heart was slow and steady like the beating of a drum. The babies' heartbeat was fast and a little erratic like the beating of a hummingbirds wings. I pressed my ear to her stomach and listened. It was wonderful being able to enjoy this again. I had been so concerned for Sookie that I had barely noticed when the noise began. I was still incredibly worried about Sookie but I was trying to hide it from her. She seemed to be more willing to slow down and I could tell that she was truly scared by her recent injury. I was very pleased by her renewed clinginess. I liked to feel needed and as much as I loved her for her strength and independence I sometimes still struggled with the whole modern woman concept. It felt more natural to me to have her leaning on me for protection and guidance.

"Eric?" Sookie had sat bolt upright in bed and was gasping. Silent tears rolled down her cheeks and her eyes scanned the darkness. I pulled her into my arms again and began stroking her hair, knowing the soothing effect it had on her.

"Shhh, I'm here. I'm here." She clutched my chest digging her hands into my arms so tightly if I were human it would have drawn blood.

"I'm so scared Eric," she sobbed. I continued to comfort her as I thought of questions to ask the doctor today.

"What are you afraid of, dear one?" I murmured.

"The darkness," she wept. "I don't know what's in the darkness, I just don't know, but it's coming for me. I can feel it all the time. Yesterday it was just a niggling fear in the back of my mind but then in my sleep..." She began crying so hard that she couldn't speak and I just held her.

"I'm here Sookie. Nothing is going to get you while I am here. I will protect you." I promised her. It felt odd promising the most powerful supe on the planet that I would keep her safe, soothing her like a child, but a part of me enjoyed being able to do it. The larger part of me was angry that she should have to feel such fear and was trying to formulate ways to help her find her strength again.

She didn't say anything else and after an hour of being held in a vice tight grip she fell asleep again. I took that as my opportunity and dialled the doctor. I didn't want to discuss this in front of her in case it made her condition worse. I had known a vampire long ago that suffered a mental affliction. He was killed by his maker in the end because he was too unpredictable, a liability.

"Ludwig, I wish to know how I can help my wife. She seemed happy yesterday but she just woke up in tears, terrified by some unknown thing in the dark that she believes is going to get her."

"The darkness is her repressed memory. She is afraid and upset because she is confused. I told you she would have much to suffer before it was over. Some days she will be fine others she will be a nervous wreck. You just have to show her she is safe and loved. Until she faces her pain and fear and accepts it she will continue to suffer from the fever. I don't expect one as strong as her to suffer for too long and her pregnancy could help her recover by giving her something positive to hold on to. I expect you are calling me because you want to keep all of this away from her, yes?" The dwarf's tone was almost mocking.

"She shouldn't know." It wasn't a statement, it was an order.

"Yes she should. If she doesn't know what she's fighting how can she win?" I was going to tell her to do her job and stop being so insolent but she hung up on me. That rat! If she wasn't such a good doctor I would have killed her a long time ago.

I let Sookie sleep while I showered and got ready for our appointment. I hated to have to wake her but we had a lot to do today and she needed to eat before we left. I began by kissing her on the cheek. I moved around her face planting feather light kisses all over her. I felt her start to stir and I moved down to her throat and along her neck.

"Mmm, Eric," she sighed and opened her eyes to meet mine. She smiled at me like she was seeing me for the first time and I couldn't resist. I planted my lips heavily on hers. She kissed me back with ardour, flicking her tongue around my now fully extended fangs. Her hand tiny stroked along my body until she reached my crotch. I moaned in her mouth at her caress. I was ready to consume her but I knew I had to be very gentle. She was more fragile now than ever and I shouldn't do anything to tire her.

She had other plans.

In a move so quick it took me by surprise she flipped me onto my back and straddled my waist. She stretched up and removed her nightgown. The sight of her perfect breasts, pert and firm, was all it took to crumple the last of my resistance. I helped her remove my clothing not caring that I had just ripped a new $1000 shirt to slithers. She kissed along my body teasing my nipples with her teeth. I watched her as she claimed my body. She was glorious.

My hands traced her gentle body marvelling at the touch. She bit down a bit too hard on my neck and sucked in the blood that oozed out of me. I groaned at the feel of it. I would never stop being delighted when she drank my blood without direction. It sent a wave of urgent hunger through me. My hands clamped down on her waist and I flipped us over again. I began to suck and nibble all over her body until I reached her hot centre. She was already wet. I could smell the sweet scent of her. I licked her slowly at first, swirling my tongue around her swollen nub.

"Oh Eric," she moaned gripping my hair and pressing me further into her. God I love this woman! I licked and sucked her enjoying every groan my efforts produced. When I felt her nearing the edge I plunged two fingers inside her forcing her over.

"ERIC!" She screamed as she came. Her eyes wide, sweat making her skin glow, she was beautiful. I felt her start to come down and anticipated her request.

"Eric, please. I need you inside me, please," she begged. Even now she didn't seem to understand that she did not need to beg. I couldn't stop myself from entering her now even if I wanted to and there was nothing I wanted more than to feel myself inside her. I thrust in and smiled at her scream of delight. She was hot and tight. I used all of my thousand years skill to ride her so that we both reached the maximal amount of pleasure. I knew her body so well now that it was easy to keep her riding the high while I reached my own transcendent conclusion.

I pulled out of her, reluctantly, feeling the loss immediately. I curled her up in my arms and whispered into her ear.

"I love you Mrs. Northman." She giggled lightly and looked up into my face. Her smile was still so innocent, after everything, how was that possible?

"That's good because I couldn't be without you Eric." Her small hand traced lines along my cheek and it was like she was trying to plant the feel of me in her memory.

"You never will be, my love."

We were five minutes late getting to the doctor's appointment as I insisted we stop at McDonald's and get Sookie something for breakfast. The same woman with curly hair and glasses was sat behind the reception desk. She smiled warmly at Sookie and nodded seriously to me.

"Dr. Ludwig is waiting for you Mrs. Northman." She pointed to the same examination room as we had been in before and I felt a wave of anxiety hit me from the bond.

"Thank you," she said, ever the southern lady. I led her to the room and grimaced at the hostile dwarf who was stood waiting for us with a murderous expression. She smiled briefly at my wife before returning to her death glare for me.

"Hello Doctor, sorry we're late," Sookie said sheepishly.

"Don't apologise young lady. I know _you_ wouldn't have been late. Now, let's get a look at you shall we?" She held her hands over Sookie's body and began to 'scan' her. Sookie watched with nervous eyes

"Well?" I demanded. Sookie scowled at me for being rude but I ignored it knowing she was as eager to know as I was.

"There is a great deal for us to discuss but I am pleased." The rat actually looked surprised. It wasn't a comforting expression and I sensed Sookie had picked up on it too.

"A MONTH!" She shouted. "How is that even possible?" I felt waves of panic flooding the bond and Sookie had turned as white as snow. I sped to her side and curled her into my side. She was shaking.

"Now little girl don't you know it is rude to go snooping through people's thoughts uninvited." She sounded amused not offended but I was ready to tear her apart for upsetting Sookie. What had she been thinking? "Come into my office and we can talk through everything." She marched out of the room into a little passage. Sookie was still too shaky to walk so I lifted her into my arms and carried her to the office.

Ludwig's office was plain. There was a large desk, which held the usual office supplies, behind which she sat on an elevated chair making her, appear of average height. There were three chairs on the other side of the desk but aside from a book case and a lamp there was nothing else in the room. I sat in one of the available chairs and let Sookie rest on my lap. She looked like a deer caught in the headlights. She gazed off into space and her body was ridged with tension.

"What's going on?" I demanded injecting as much authority and warning into the words as possible.

"Your talented wife has discovered from my mind that your child is developing much faster than expected. I suppose it is due to the extra power your wife has. Magic is what creates life and your wife has more than even I anticipated. Your child will be fully developed in another month." Again the surprise in her voice was evident.

"A month?" I asked echoing Sookie's words.

"Yes, Mr. Northman. A month and I can also tell you that you are having a daughter." At that Sookie came back to life, her head snapping up to look at the doctor.

"I'm having a little girl?" Her voice was no longer shocked but full of love and admiration. She smiled and it was like someone had turned a light on inside her. "Astra Adel Northman," she whispered to herself rubbing her bump. I was still trying to wrap my head around everything.

"But will she be...healthy?" I demanded, still not over the initial surprise.

"Your child is the healthiest baby I have ever seen. She is powerful, not as powerful as your wife but still a strong force. I do expect her rapid growth to continue after the birth but with the mixture of vampire blood, fae blood and...Well, whatever it is your wife has she will be frozen at full maturity and will live a long and beautiful life. I doubt she is immortal but you can always fix that." I cringed. I couldn't deny the desire the turn my daughter had already been something I had considered but I didn't want Sookie thinking about that yet. Fortunately, Sookie didn't seem to be listening. She was having 'a moment'.

"So Astra is alright and we can expect her in a month. Will Sookie be alright?" I tightened my grip around my wife. She didn't seem to notice and I smiled at the warm expression on her face. She was blissfully happy.

"There is no way to be sure. Other than...what we have discussed, she is healthy but her body is human and not designed for such rapid change. There is no way to know what to expect. We will just have to carefully monitor her condition and keep her happy." She emphasised the last word and I understood her hidden message. She was telling me that her metal fever could make the pregnancy harder and more dangerous. I nodded to tell her I understood.

"Wait, can I hear her heartbeat?" Sookie's moment seemed to be over and I chuckled silently at her excitement. I was almost envious of her. I was so concerned about her welfare that I couldn't let myself feel the earth shattering joy and love for our daughter.

"Certainly. I can give you a picture too if you would like one?" Sookie clapped her hands together in glee.

"Oh thank you that would be wonderful." The dwarf smiled at her like a doting relative. I was starting to think our doctor had multiple personalities. She was so caring towards Sookie but the rest of the time she was a disinterested troll.

An hour later and we were in the limo marvelling at the first picture of our daughter. Sookie hadn't wanted to leave. She had loved being able to hear Astra's heartbeat and it made me wish I could share my hearing ability as I shared my blood. Anything to make her that happy.

"I can't wait to show Pam!" She said proudly.

"Pam is going to tease me over this," I faked apprehension.

"Why would she do that? She is almost as excited about this as we are. Look at how much effort she has put into the baby shower and she has done a wonderful job on the nursery." Sookie reached for my hand and laced our fingers together before placing our joined hands on her bump.

"She will be delighted that I am to be surrounded by stubborn women," I explained. I could already hear the jokes she would concoct.

"Ah, poor Viking! Surrounded by beautiful women, however will you survive?" Sookie teased and I couldn't help but smile back at her.

"I'll find a way."


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter 14

I was so happy. I thought getting married was the happiest I could be but this was like nothing I had ever felt before. I was going to have a daughter. Sure, I was terrified, especially about only having a month to get ready but knowing that in only one month I would get to meet her. That changed everything.

Eric didn't seem as excited as I expected him to be but I knew he was still worried about me. I hadn't missed his silent exchanges with the doctor and when I had read her mind, unable to wait another second, I had caught a hint of something dark. I knew it was about me and not Astra so I didn't worry about it. If it was important Eric would tell me. I trusted him.

We stopped at an Italian restaurant on the way home so that I could get something to eat. I wasn't overly hungry but Eric insisted and I didn't argue. He watched me like an angry parent as I ate everything on my plate and I was rewarded with a kiss for my easy compliance. I began to wonder if Eric wasn't secretly pleased at my fragile state. I liked that he was taking care of me and I could understand the pleasure he could get from feeling needed but there was no way this was going to become a permanent situation. I was a modern, independent woman and there was no way I was going to let him forget it! Although, right now, I _did_ need him. I felt like a child, which was probably why I wasn't complaining about being treated like one. I was lost and scared. I could feel something deep down inside that I didn't understand and only when I was wrapped in Eric did it go away. I refused to dwell and let these feeling ruin this wonderful time for either of us but I couldn't deny I was glad Eric wasn't going anywhere.

"Sookie you have visitors waiting for you in the den. Would you like me to bring in some refreshments?" Kale informed me as soon as we walked in the front door. I felt Eric stiffen and I wondered who could be visiting to cause him to become so tense. An evil smile spread over his face.

"Kale why don't you bring in some nice cool lemonade?" I slapped him immediately understanding.

"Bastard," I chided causing him to laugh. "Kale, could bring in some tea please but make sure that there is no lemon as my relatives are allergic." She smiled at me and scurried off to the kitchen to collect our drinks. I was really fond of Kale and I could tell she truly cared about my family.

"Come on lover, time to greet the unwelcome relatives." I slapped him again causing him to roar with laughter and pull me along to the den. Nial was stood in the middle of the room looking like the most beautiful grandfather on the planet in his silver suit. Claudine was with him, sat on the arm chair and smiling brightly at me. Eric ignored them both and sat on the couch, spreading out to show he owned the place and they were on _his_ territory. Dumb vampire!

"Nial," I sang running up to him and embracing him in a hug.

"Hello child." I gave Claudine a hug too and she kissed me on the cheek.

"It's wonderful to see you," I told them both honestly. Kale came in with a tea tray. She placed it on the coffee table and left without saying a word. "Drink?" I asked them but they both refused. I poured myself a cup and sat down beside Eric, on the tiny amount of couch there was left beside Eric spread out the way he was. Eric wasn't having that and he lifted me onto his lap protectively. Claudine giggled as his demonstration of ownership but Nial seemed to disapprove and he made that tutting noise under his breath.

"Child we have heard that you have news to share," Nial spoke to me in that reprimanding way only an older relative can. He made me feel like a naughty school girl and I really didn't like the feeling.

"So I suppose you have heard we are having a daughter," Eric said matter-of-factly. I loved the way he could cut through the bull shit.

"I have and I must admit I was disappointed not to have been told before it was made public." I felt myself shrink into Eric at his words and I sipped my tea to hide from his frown. "But I have heard of the troubles you have encountered and I understand why your vampire did not come to us with the news." I looked up and saw he was smiling at me again. That confused me. What could he have heard that would make my forgetfulness be so easily forgiven?

"Why are you here Nial?" Eric asked and I shivered at the sharp edge contained in his words.

"We are here to wish you our congratulations and to present you with a gift. It is customary with the fae to present a gift to the mother." I noticed that he was smiling at me but his eyes were fixed in Eric and they were angry. Eric had noticed too but he didn't seem to care. I internally sighed and wished that all of my family could get along. The fae didn't like Eric and Eric didn't like they fae. None of them liked Jason and Jason didn't even know about the fae in our family. It was a mess.

"You don't have to give me anything Nial. I am just glad that you came to see me." Eric chuckled softly and for the first time I looked away from my fairy great grandfather and looked at my husband.

"Sookie I don't think it is the kind of gift you can refuse." He was uncomfortable but I didn't understand why. I briefly thought about reading his mind and then scolded myself for having the thought.

"Indeed. This gift is a sacred promise to protect your child against all evils. It is normally given by the head of the family and extends to the whole family but as you are fae royalty your promise extends to all of our kind. Should your child ever find herself in need she has only to ask and we will be there to help her." Nial stepped forward and extended his hand to me. I took it and let him help me stand. He guided me to the middle of the room always keeping hold of my hand. With his free hand he handed Claudine his cane and I watched as he drew out a silver dagger from the top of the cane. He looked deep into my eyes and I could feel him telling me to trust him. I stood perfectly still as he sliced a small cut into the palm of my hand. I could feel Eric's desire to jump up and protect me so I projected into his head.

_Eric it's OK. It doesn't hurt much and this is really important to them._

_Lover, don't lie to me! I can feel how much that hurts you and you don't have to put up with this old fool. _

_I know that Eric but I love him. Please just try and relax. If it makes you feel better I will let you heal my hand afterwards and I will do absolutely anything you want me to do to relax for the rest of the afternoon._

_ Well of course you will let me heal you! I see that this is important to you as well so I will try to control my desire to turn him into fairy dust._

I saw from the corner of my eye that Eric was repressing a sinister smile and he was watching me so carefully I was starting to feel a little self-conscious. Once Nial had cut my hand he did the same to his own hand and then he joined our hands together so our blood merged. I was impressed by the power he had to cloak the scent of his blood from Eric. A golden light which looked like a chain began to wind around our joined hands until they were both glowing then I felt a wave of power surge from each of us and something fell from between our hands and landed on the floor. Nial released my hand and leaned down to pick the mysterious object up from the floor.

He handed it over to me with a wide smile. I took the object and examined it closely. It was a golden necklace and on the end there was a ruby shaped like a heart. I knew without being told that the ruby had been formed from our blood.

"That is for the child to wear when you feel she is ready. It is her link to each of us and the symbol of this promise." I looked down at the necklace and smiled. It was beautiful and I couldn't wait to give it to Astra to wear. I was pleased that she would be well protected and welcomed by the family I had grown up without. I jumped up and hugged Nial.

"Thank you," I whispered overcome by my emotions. He laughed at my joy and patted my back before planting a feather light kiss on my cheek.

"You are welcome child. Claudine has a gift for the child too." I realised him from the hug and looked at my cousin who was still beaming at me. She had a tear in her eye and I knew that she was moved by this symbol of love and belonging that was obviously a great privilege.

She handed me a small box which was neatly wrapped in silver paper. I opened it and smiled down at the contents. It was a baby monitor.

"It's from Claude too," she said. I hugged her again.

"Thank you it's perfect." I showed the box to Eric who just rolled his eyes. I knew he was remembering our little shopping trip in which he had complained at the idea of leaving the child alone in another room.

"We must leave but please remember you can call on us whenever you need to. You are not alone Sookie, you have family that loves you." Nial was just being kind but I could feel Eric starting to get angry again at the implicit meaning behind his comment so I put the gifts down on the coffee table and went to sit in his lap. I wrapped his arms around me before I spoke.

"I know that. Thank you for visiting us and thank you so much for these wonderful gifts." I smiled lovingly at them both before they nodded and popped out. I could feel pride and joy bursting out of Eric at my symbolic action.

"You didn't have to do that Sookie," I smiled. He was such a liar. He loved that I had done that.

"Yes I did Eric. You are my family before anyone else. You and Astra. They needed to be reminded of that. I love them and I will always be there for them but you come first." He smiled smugly like the cat that caught the canary. I held my bleeding hand out to him and he eagerly licked at my wound. It stung so I winced a little but I didn't try to pull it away. I liked watching him savour the taste of my blood and I knew no matter how much it hurt he was helping to seal my wound.

Once the bleeding stopped he bit into his wrist and coated my hand in his blood. I watched in awe as the thin cut began to seal up leaving only an angry pink scar.

"Thank you sweetie," I said giving him a kiss.

"Oh Sookie, it was my pleasure." The way he said pleasure made me throb and he kissed me long and hard. "Now you, dear one, are going to go and take a nap before we have to get ready for the baby shower." I nodded in agreement. I didn't want to nap but I had promised him I would do as he asked and I wasn't going to go back on my word.

"Ok but where are we going to put that?" I asked pointing to the necklace.

"Pam put a jewellery box in the nursery. I will put it in there." I pulled back to look at him properly. He was serious.

"Why would a baby need a jewellery box?" He cradled my face with his hands.

"A royal baby will be given many gifts and we need somewhere to put them," he pointed out. "We will probably get quite a few gifts from the other Kings and Queens, too. I hope you are ready Sookie. Our child is going to be very famous and very widely respected." I had never thought about that but I knew that he was right. I wasn't sure how I felt about it.

I plodded over to the sun room and lay down. If I had to nap then I would do it enjoying the blue skies and warm rays. Eric took the things up to the babies' room and he brought a laptop into the sun room. He sat and did some work while I drifted off to sleep.

"Sookie!" Pam said excitedly giving me a hug and a kiss at the door. That got my attention straight away; it was so un-Pam like.

"What have you done?" I asked sceptically. She laughed at my insinuation.

"Nothing that you won't absolutely love," she promised winking at me.

"I will hold you to that Pam! I might have promised not to use my own powers but that doesn't mean I can't set Eric on you!" Eric laughed at my idle threat.

"Is she always so suspicious?" Pam asked Eric with a sly smile at me. He kissed my hand which was still laced with his.

"Only when she can sense there is due cause." I pulled out the photo of Astra from my pocket and handed it to pam.

"We are having a daughter. Astra Adel Northman." Pam smiled up at me and I saw the glint in her eyes.

"So, it's stubborn women all around then? Master how will you survive being so outnumbered?" Eric smiled back at her showing no distress at all.

"Pamela you know better than anyone how well I survive when outnumbered. Besides, with beautiful women all around me i will be the envy of every other male in the country." Pam looked lustfully at me and licked her lips.

"You already are."

"True." He led me inside and passed my coat to Pam. I hadn't been inside Pam's house since the night of the witch war. The living room couldn't look more different. It had once been full of people preparing for battle but now it was covered in blue and pink balloons. There were white paper dove's hanging from the ceiling and a banner.

Northman baby shower. Congratulations Sookie!

I sat down beside Eric and Pam returned with a big mug of hot chocolate for me. I took one look at it and held my breath, pinching my nose with hand and pushing it back towards her with the other. She looked offended and Eric quickly explained as he took the mug and dashed it to the kitchen away from all of my senses.

"She gets sick at just the smell of chocolate." Pam thought about that for a moment and then relaxed again.

"But you love chocolate that must suck." I giggled at her use of modern slang and the irony of her words.

"It does, believe me!" I wrinkled my nose to show my distaste and then leaned back into Eric who had placed an arm around my shoulders.

"So what _can_ I get you to drink?" Pam asked.

"I don't suppose I could have a cup of coffee?" I asked hopefully looking pleadingly at Eric.

"Sookie you know you shouldn't have caffeine!" I just held my gaze and begged him with my eyes. "Fine, but only one cup!" I smiled at my small victory. If I thought for one second a cup of coffee would harm the baby I wouldn't have asked and I really missed my coffee.

"One cup of coffee coming up." The doorbell rang as Pam was in the kitchen so Eric went to answer it. Following him into the room were Tara, Amelia and Holly. I stood to hug them all and we sounded like a bunch of screaming school girls but I didn't care.

"God Sook you look amazing!" Tara said looking me up and down.

"I can't believe you are showing already," Holly added. I felt myself blush slightly but no one seemed to notice, or if they did they didn't say anything.

"It's so great to see you," Amelia was almost crying already as she gave me a hug and I could tell she missed me as much as I missed her.

"Don't cry or you will set me off," I warned her and we all shared a laugh. They sat down and I settled back in beside Eric. Pam came in to welcome them and hand me my drink. She brought several beers with her and passed them around too. It wasn't long before the doorbell went again and Pam got up to answer it with an excited smile. Eric seemed perfectly comfortable with my girl friends as we talked about Bon Temps and they caught me up on the gossip. Tara was quick to tell me about Becky Hobson's divorce. She was a girl from school who had taken great delight in teasing both of us. Apparently her husband had been cheating on her for two years...with her brother.

"Hello Sookie."

"Bill!" I jumped up and gave him a hug. I didn't know that Pam had invited him. I had asked but she had never actually agreed. As I embraced my ex-beau the baby gave me an enormous kick. It was so strong that Bill felt it and had to catch me before I fell from the pain. Eric was at my side in an instant and Bill released me into his hands. He was holding me up as I cradled my stomach. Everyone was watching me with concern but I couldn't think about them because, again, I heard the whisper in my head. This time I could make out the words. _My momma!_

I was stunned. Part of me was jumping up and down in excitement at being able to read the babies mind but a smaller part was cursing. Possessive just like her father!

"Sookie, are you alright?" I looked up and realised that I was now sat in Eric's lap and he was stroking my face nervously.

"I heard her," I whispered.

"What?" He looked confused like he hadn't heard right.

"Eric I heard her. She really didn't like me hugging Bill, She thought 'my momma!' I guess she takes after her father that way," I smiled at him and he beamed back.

"Well at least I know she is on my side," Eric swaggered. I laughed and turned to look at the rest of the group. They were all smiling at me patiently.

"Sorry Bill. Are you alright?" I asked feeling too elated to really be embarrassed.

"Don't worry about me Sookie. How are you? That was a really hard kick. Are you alright?" He sounded honestly worried for me which made me feel better. I noticed that he had taken the seat closest to the door and he was as far away from the rest of the group as possible. Pam was sat on the other side of Eric and smiling widely at me.

"I'm alright," I promised.

"Good because we have games then presents," Pam cheered. I was pleased that she could enjoy herself so much and decided I would...wait.

"Games?" I asked cautiously.

"Yep and you're going first." She had that evil smile again and it made me really really nervous. No good could come from that look. I wasn't comforted when she started to blindfold me.

"Pin the dummy on the baby. You have to get it as close to the mouth as possible," she explained leading me across the room and spinning me around. Everyone was laughing at my nervous disorientation. I felt her hand me a sticky piece of card and I figured the faster I had a go the faster this blindfold could come off. I felt my way out to the wall where there was some sort of poster and I stuck the card onto it. They roared with laughter.

"What?" I asked defensively taking off the blindfold to look. I had stuck the dummy to the babies' bottom.

"I think you need to do some reading Sook. It doesn't go there," Tara teased.

"Well let's see how it's done then," I challenged holding out the blindfold. She took it and began to tie it around her head.

"Do you remember when..."

"Tara Thornton you will not finish that sentence if you have any intention of getting out of this party alive!" She laughed at my scared threat and I noticed that the others were all listening with even more interest than before.

"Ok Sook, I guess I did promise."

"Yes you did!" I snapped horrified that she could have spilt that memory. It is true what they say. Some people you will always be friends with...because they know too much!

"Oh come on Sook, what was she going to say?" Amelia asked with that burning curiosity in her eyes.

"Forget it!" I snapped.

"No lover, I very much want to hear what your friend was about to say," Eric was beaming and I felt like I was being stalked.

"Not a chance!" I led Tara to the wall and began to spin her around. We played the game for a about half an hour all taking turns and laughing at the random places the dummies landed but I could feel that they hadn't forgotten the little outburst.

Pam brought us all another round of drinks exchanging my coffee for milk and supplying the vampires with True Blood.

"Now we have cards of wisdom. All the guests have to write a piece of advice for the mother and she read's them out." She handed out the cards and pens to everybody and Eric and I watched as they all scribbled something down and passed Pam the cards. She placed them in a beautiful purple velvet box. I took the first one out and smiled as I read it to the group.

"Sleep when the baby sleeps. Eat when the baby eats but try not to cry when the baby cries. Thanks Holly," I said putting the card to the back of the piling and picking up the next one.

"Make time to be together," I looked at Bill and smiled.

"You never know..." He was looking at me in that sad way.

"I know Bill, it's good advice. Thank you." I felt Eric internally mocking him for being so emotional but I ignored it. Vampires!

"Plug both ends!" I laughed at Tara's advice.

"You don't know how true that is," she teased sharing a knowing giggle with Amelia and Holly.

"I guess I am going to find out," I said happily. I pulled out the next card. I doubled over in laughter at Pam's advice. Hundreds of years to gather useful information and pearls of wisdom and that was what she came up with.

"Don't drop it." Eric and Bill just rolled their eyes but the others joined me in my hysterics.

"What? That's good advice!" She protested.

"Yes Pamela but a little obvious," Eric smiled indulgently at her and she just shrugged again. I took out the last card and read it to the group.

"'Our most basic instinct is not for survival but for family. Most of us would give our own life for the survival of a family member, yet we lead our daily life too often as if we take our family for granted.' So try to appreciate each other and remember, 'A happy family is but an earlier heaven'." I was crying by the end and I jumped up to hug Amelia. I couldn't form a sentence to tell her what those words meant to me. I don't think it mattered though because she was crying too as we hugged like sisters. I felt my heart burst with love. I was surrounded by people I cared about and I was happy. I felt Astra move, reinforcing the perfect moment and I pulled out of the hug to curl back into Eric. He welcomed me with a soft expression on his face. Pam looked a little irritated at my tears and I knew they made her uncomfortable but she didn't say anything about it.

"Time for presents," she sang instead. She got up and went into the other room. While she was gone I took a sip of my milk. When she came back I couldn't actually see her face the pile of gifts was so big. I felt myself internally cringe at the thought of what was hidden behind the colourful paper. She sat down beside Eric again and placed the gifts on the floor before passing me the first one. Then she jumped up and pulled a camera out of her pocket. She began snapping pictures of all of us. "Well open it then!" She urged causing a round of giggles. I rolled my eyes and began to tear away the paper. It was a bath set. I didn't have time to thank her before she shoved another box in my hands. This one was so big I had trouble holding it so Eric tore the paper away for me. It was a baby buggy that could be converted into a pushchair. Top of the line, of course.

"It's wonderful, thank you." She just took another photo and Eric lifted another gift from the pile. I opened it with my nervous smile in place. I could feel the excitement in the room but I just felt very conscious that they were all staring at me.

"It's a baby feeding set," Pam said warmly and I smiled up at her.

"Thank you Pam," she nodded her head at me.

"Open this one next," Tara said handing me a large box wrapped in pink paper. "It's from me and JD." I took it and tore the paper violently. It was a baby gate.

"Thank you," I sang. She came and gave me a half hug. Amelia handed me another box this time wrapped in gold foil paper.

"Tray and I got you this," she said with a sympathetic smile. She knew how much I hated this kind of attention. It was baby play mat and swing. I thanked her and took the gift Holly was offering me. A nappy bin. Eric grimaced at that one causing us 'breathers' to roll about in laughter. Bill gave me a travel cot and a high chair and there were a few baby outfits from the staff at Fangtasia. All in all we had gotten almost everything we needed for the baby. I would only have to get clothes and products like nappies and baby shampoo.

Once the present giving was over Pam got another round of drinks and passed out nibbles. I was pleased to be able to eat something and Eric was pleased to watch me eat without a fight. The girls didn't stay long after that, having their own families to get back to and jobs requiring an early morning. Pam and Eric headed to the kitchen to wash up the cups and plates that we had used. I smiled at their obvious attempt to give me time alone with Bill but I was grateful to them for it so I didn't tease them. As soon as they left the room Bill was sitting by my side. I resisted the desire to hug him, remembering the distaste of my daughter...and the pain.

"Bill, I asked Pam to invite you here tonight because I wanted to say thank you. If it wasn't for you who knows what would have happened to me. You found me and got me the help that I needed. I am so glad that you came." He took my hand in his. I could hear the irritation of my daughter. Images of Eric passed through my mind and I could feel that she knew who her father was and she wanted to hurt Bill for being near me.

"Sookie, you don't owe me any thanks. I would do anything for you, you know that. I am so pleased for you and Eric. Just be happy and enjoy every minute." He moved to hug me but I pulled back.

"I would love to hug you but my daughter really doesn't like the idea and I don't really want another kick." He smiled to show he understood and it was the first real smile I had seen on his face in a while.

Pam and Eric came back in, having heard every word, and Bill said goodnight. Pam turned the television on while Eric sat down beside me. I noticed that she was switching it to the Barbra Legend Show on the VOX network and I remembered that they were showing our interview tonight. I didn't want to see it and Eric felt my aversion.

"Would you like to go home?" He whispered seductively in my ear. I yawned involuntarily and nodded. "Pamela we are going to leave as well. I will speak with you later tonight." She stood and nodded her respect to Eric.

"Thanks Pam it was perfect." I stood up and gave her a hug which she reciprocated with good grace. Eric took my hand and led me to the door. He sat me on his lap in the back of the car and I was asleep as soon as we pulled away. The last thing I thought was I love my life.


	15. Chapter 15

Chapter 15

I was enjoying time in the sun reading a book when my phone began to ring. I answered it quickly thinking it could be Eric, who was out running a few errands.

"Hello?" I said confused by the unrecognised number.

"Sookie, hey it's Quinn." I sat up slightly and folded my legs. I recognised that tone and last time it got me in a lot of trouble with Eric. This was going to be hard.

"Hi Quinn. What can I do for you?" I tried to keep my tone friendly but Astra was kicking wildly at the sound of him. I was really starting to worry about how much she understood when she read my mind. I wanted her to be smart but there were some things children shouldn't be able to know, especially not from the womb.

"I need your help again. Frannie really isn't taking mum's death very well and I want to move and get a job in security so that I can be with her. I was wondering if there was any way you could buy my contract from Nevada so that we can move into Louisiana? I know it is a lot to ask but I am really worried about her and I think a new start for both of us would do her good." I frowned and folded my arms over my bump trying to pacify the little monster. If she didn't quit it soon I was going to be sick.

"Erm...I want to help Quinn but I will have to talk to Eric first. I think I might be able to help you more than you know but I promised I would discuss these things with Eric before acting." Astra calmed down at the mention of Eric.

"So the vamp is calling the shots?" His tone was bitter and I could hear his desperation. He must really be worried about his sister.

"Yes Quinn. My husband is calling the shots. After almost getting killed and miscarrying our daughter I promised I would talk to him. Is that ok with you?" A tear fell down my cheek and I smiled as Astra projected into my head. _Love you mommy._ I stroked the bump as I projected back. _Love you too, baby._

"What? What happened?" He sounded really angry and I wasn't sure if it was because I got hurt or because he didn't know about it.

"Jason was being held by a witch. I rescued him but she caught me off guard and punched me in the stomach. By the time I was done killing her and sorting out my brother I was too weak to get help. My daughter actually saved my life by teleporting me to Bon Temps where Bull found me." I took a sip of my milkshake. It was full of vitamins and I had promised Eric I would drink two every day.

"Why does it not surprise me that your brother was involved? What did Eric do to him?" Huh? What was he talking about?

"What do you mean? He didn't do anything to Jason, why would he?" I was starting to feel sick. I put the milkshake down and closed my eyes.

"Come on, babe. You know what vampires are like and if it hadn't been for your brother you wouldn't have been hurt. I just thought...doesn't matter. So you think you will be able to help me?"

"I'll do my best Quinn. I'll ring you later when I have an update. What about E (E) E?"

"They bought out my share when I was claimed by Nevada. I have enough money to set us up from the payout but I will need to work to keep busy."

"Right, talk to you later then." I was sure I was going to be sick. Either the milkshake or my nerves but something was not sitting right.

"Thanks, babe." He hung up and I popped myself to our bathroom just in time.

I was cleaning my teeth with my eyes closed when I felt two strong arms wrap around my waist. I didn't open my eyes because I was still dizzy but Astra did a little happy dance inside me. She already loved Eric as much as I did.

"What's wrong lover? Why have you closed off the bond?" For once Eric didn't sound reprimanding but just worried. He could obviously tell from my face I was not feeling well. I spat out the toothpaste and rinsed my mouth before answering him. All with my eyes closed.

"Sorry Eric I didn't realise I had. I got sick again." He turned me round and cradled me to his chest.

"You're dizzy too." I nodded as I tried to open the bond again. I knew that I had succeeded because he relaxed slightly. "Why do you feel so upset?" I looked up at him and tears escaped my eyes as I spoke.

"Quinn phoned and we got talking. He asked me what you had done to Jason for getting me hurt. I told him you hadn't done anything. You haven't, have you?" For one second I thought my heart was going to shatter but the look in his face told me I had nothing to worry about. His hands moved up from my hips to cradle the back of my head.

"I would never hurt someone you cared about because that would hurt you," he leant down to kiss me but I pulled back before the kiss could deepen into anything more than a peck. I was too dizzy to be kissing him. He understood without me telling him. I closed my eyes again and he carried me to the bed. He left me to go down stairs for a moment and returned with an ice pack for my head. I hadn't even noticed I had a temperature.

"So why don't you tell me what the tiger wants this time?" He lay next to me and put his hand on my stomach. He flung his leg over mine and I felt Astra give a mental sigh.

"Your daughter loves you very much," I told him.

"As I love her." He kissed my stomach and then pulled back to his original potion. "But you're not changing the subject. What did the tiger want?" I sighed and braced myself.

"He is worried about his sister. He wants to move to Louisiana and get a job in security so that they can be together more. He thinks a new start would do them both good. I told him I would talk to you before I did anything." He kissed me and I opened my eyes in surprise. All I was feeling over the bond was love. No anger. No frustration. No jealousy. Just love.

"Thank you for considering me." I looked in his blue eyes and smiled at the way they were burning. I shrugged my shoulders and closed my eyes again.

"A promise is a promise." He chuckled lightly and I felt his cool fingers on my cheek.

"Yes it is. I suppose the tiger wants you to discuss buying out his contract with De Castro." I couldn't tell what he was thinking from his voice but I tried not to get worked up. It wasn't my problem and I really didn't have the energy to get too stressed over it....but I wanted to help Quinn.

"Yeah but I was thinking..."

"Oh dear. Why do I get the feeling I am not going to like this?" I frowned.

"Just hear me out. Compromise, remember, you can always say no. I was thinking that Frannie would make a really good PA. I sort of know her. She already has experience in the supe world and she has worked with Quinn for E (E) E. Her brother would be a good bouncer or body guard too." I couldn't resist peeking to see his expression. It was blank.

"I will talk to De Castro about buying his contract. You can have whomever you want as your PA so that's no problem. As for Quinn...you know you have to have security at the diner, right?"

"Why do I?" I was more than a bit annoyed. He had promised not to interfere and I was looking forward to having some place I could just be normal.

"Sookie it won't be safe for your customers without. What with you being the prime target for my enemies and being next door to Fangtasia where all the vermin will no doubt spill out...you have to have _some_ security." I thought about it for a moment and realised he was right...again. I was getting sick of it. I told him as much.

"I am really getting sick of you being right all the time." He laughed and entwined our fingers together.

"I am just glad you can admit it, my love. As I was saying, you will need security and I promised that I would not interfere so you could always hire him as your guard." I smiled up at Eric who was smiling back at me.

"You mean you really wouldn't mind?"

"No. It's your business and your choice. I trust you." I sat up, a bit too quick sending the ice pack flying, and hugged him.

"Oh thank you thank you thank you!" He hugged me back before lowering me to the bed again.

"You're welcome but try not to make yourself dizzy again." He retrieved the ice pack and placed it back on my head before kissing my cheek. He was stroking my arm making the hair stand up and giving me goose bumps.

"When will you call because I promised to ring Quinn and tell him what you said?" He rolled his eyes at my impatience.

"You really can't resist a distress call, can you? I will ring later tonight. I have to go to the bar to meet a few vampires and I have a meeting with Pam but you can ring Quinn and tell him it is as good as done. Felipe won't dare refuse the request when I tell him it is for you. And if he does, I am sure you can handle it." He gave me an evil smile and I giggled at the monster before me. He was the scariest thing I had ever seen and yet I could still see his beauty and love him past the boundaries of sanity.

I phoned Quinn and told him. He was beyond happy and he thanked me over and over. He accepted the job too and told me Frannie would accept as well. He couldn't believe I was helping him so much but I could hear he was genuinely over the moon (ha ha). He told me he was all ready to move and he would buy a house that afternoon and move to Shreveport tomorrow. I was stunned that he could make the move so quickly but promised him I would help in any way I could. I agreed to meet him at his new address and help them get set up. As it turned out Frannie was as eager as Quinn to move. She even stole the phone off him to thank me profusely.

Eric made me sleep for a couple of hours having seen how weak and sickly I was feeling. He told me that he had a surprise for me and I needed my rest. I agreed because once again my curiosity got the better of me. I knew we had to interview magical nannies for the baby today and I wanted to be alert so I curled up and let him read to me until I drifted to sleep.

When I did wake up it was to Eric carrying me down the stairs to the den. He sat me down on his lap as Kale showed in the first nanny candidate. I let Eric ask all the questions but we shared thoughts on all of the candidates. We saw five that I was sure I did NOT want near my child before we met Aislinn. She was an elf and one of the most beautiful creatures I had ever met. She reminded me of that actress in Lord of the Rings...Liv Tyler. She was smart, experienced; funny, talented (she could speak 19 different languages and play 10 different instruments) and she really seemed to care. I fell in love with her and Eric seemed as impressed as I was besotted. She told us that she required a room to live in and one day off a week. She also told us that the reason I was feeling so weak was that I wasn't eating enough sugar. Eric got Kale to bring me a bowl of ice cream and I felt instantly better for it. Just like that we hired her to start in two days. That would give her some time to move in and settle down although she insisted she didn't need it.


	16. Chapter 16

Chapter 16

I was the epitome of excitement as I blindfolded my wife and carried her to the car. She complained and protested about the measure but I insisted. I could feel her curiosity and knew she wouldn't put up much of a fight. She was desperate to know what I had planned for her. I led her to the sidewalk and hugged her close to my body as I took off the blindfold. Her face lit up and I felt a warm glow deep inside me from seeing her so happy. Her joy and excitement cascaded over the bond.

"You finished it?" She said in a voice two octaves higher than normal.

"Yes. Scarlet's is ready for you to take over with hiring staff and ordering menus. What do you think?" From the outside it was a lot like Fangtasia in appearance. The walls were painted red and the neon sign was red too. The door was black and there were red and white striped awnings over the windows. The biggest difference to the bar was that the windows were not blacked out but instead decorated with flowers.

"I love it. How did you do it? It's exactly like I imagined it."

"I just know you very well," I led her inside and was delighted by the gasp of surprise. Her expression was that of a vampire high on fae blood right after a glorious victory in battle.

"Eric," she said gripping my arm. Her eyes were wide as she scanned the room to take in every inch. I had told Alcide her requirements and left him to the finer details. He had done a really good job. There was now a walk in freezer which led to the kitchen. There was a hatch from the kitchen to the bar and all along the bar were red leather bar stools. Around the outside of the room there were red leather booths and in the heart of the room were three wooden tables each with four chairs. The floor was a smooth wood finish and there was a duke box at the end of the room. I had enjoyed finding the duke box having been very fond of them in the 50's. Pam had helped select photos to display around the room. There were pictures taken from _Gone with the Wind _along with pictures of Sookie. There was no question that this was her place.

"Did we get it right?" I asked with a devious smile. I could feel through the bond that we had. Again taking me by surprise she didn't answer but wrapped her arms around her bump, which was now much bigger, and doubled over laughing. I raised an eyebrow but she was unable to talk through the hysterics. She looked up at me with delirious eyes and took both of my hands in hers. She closed her eyes for a second and I could hear her trying to project into my mind. _Your daughter thinks you are very clever s_he explained. I could feel her trying to focus and open up her mind to me more than she ever had before. It took a few minutes but eventually she managed it and for the first time I could hear our daughter's thoughts for myself.

_I love daddy. He makes my mommy so happy._ I smiled at the protective edge to her thoughts. I could feel from the tenor of her thoughts that she loved us both very much and she was truly delighted that I had made _her_ mother happy but thinking about Sookie she held a wild sort of devotion. I could feel the strong bond she shared with her mother and the way she fiercely wanted to protect her. She saw her as _hers_. Like father like daughter. I was proud of her and impressed with how advanced she was already.

Sookie had calmed down now and was looking me in the eye, patiently waiting for my reaction. I sat her on one of the bar stools, with some difficulty, and kissed her lightly.

"She is just as remarkable as you." I brushed my thumb over her cheek and felt her press her face into my hands affectionately.

"And just as possessive as you," she said with a tender smile. "I guess this means you have the whole family's seal of approval. I love the place, thank you Eric." She leaned forward to kiss me and I hugged her to my body and deepened the kiss.

We didn't stay long in the diner. I gave Sookie the grand tour and she insisted that we dance to a song on the duke box but I had to be at Fangtasia tonight and I wanted to leave before the vermin started lining up so that they didn't make the connection with the diner until we were ready.

I left Sookie on the couch by the fire in the den. She was on the laptop planning her menu and researching the kind of stock she wanted to use. I promised her that I wouldn't be too late and kissed her before making my way to the bar. It was going to take time to get used to this arrangement. It had been a while since I had gone to work alone and I really didn't like it. I missed her before I even stepped out of the house and my mind began thinking about the million ways she could get into trouble or get hurt while I was gone. I felt like I was leaving the best part of me in the den and every instinct in me was screaming to go back. I knew I had to get passed this, I had promised her, and so I focused on the image of her smile at seeing the diner for the first time and pushed each foot forward. If it made her that happy then I didn't have a choice.

By the time I reached Fangtasia I was in a foul mood so the pathetic whore that tried to slap me on the ass ended up unconscious on the other side of the room. Pam rolled her eyes at me and began to work her way through the vermin to my throne.

"Master you have only been back five minutes do you really need to be so obvious about your bad mood?" The coy smile on her lips gave away her true feelings, although I could sense them anyway. She was pleased to have me back.

"Missed me that much Pam?" I teased her. She scowled at my ability to read her emotions and rolled her eyes again.

"The King of Nebraska and the Queen of Iowa will her here in an hour. There are also several messages and gifts waiting in the office. How is my favourite telepath tonight?" Pam was stood scanning the crowd as she spoke.

"Sookie is well. I took her to the diner tonight and she loved it. They both did." I smiled at the shocked look on Pam's face. Her eyes darted to me as she tried to work out what I was telling her.

"Both?" She asked reluctantly as if she believed I was setting up a trap for her. She had learnt, well over the years, of what I was capable.

"Sookie managed to project Astra's thoughts to me. She very much liked that I had made _her_ mother happy. She is even more possessive of Sookie than I am." Pam smiled at me. I knew that look and I braced myself for the teasing.

"Aww you sound very proud of your daughter." I laughed, her teasing was getting tame. Perhaps I had been away too long.

"I am." I got up at headed to the office. I grinned at the framed pictures on the desk. Pam had put a picture of Sookie and a copy of the baby picture up. I switched on my computer and while it was booting up I made the call to Nevada.

"Northman, it is so good to hear from you. Congratulations on becoming a father. I bet that lovely wife of yours is the picture of natural beauty right now." De Castro always was a two faced son of a bitch. I knew he hated us for causing him to give up Louisiana but he was too afraid of Sookie to do anything.

"She is. She is actually the reason I am calling."

"Yes?" I could hear his fear in my silent threat even though he was trying to conceal it. I felt my fangs run down. There was nothing like fear to get a vampire excited.

"Yes. She wants to use the tiger in a new business venture of hers and asked me to buy his contract from you." I could feel the anger flowing all the way from Vegas. De Castro did not want to give up his prize. He had taken great pleasure in boasting about having enslaved the famous Quinn.

"The tiger is a very special asset. It will not be cheap are you sure she needs him that badly?" I chuckled; this was going to be fun.

"Clearly you do not know my wife. She is absolutely determined and she made it quite clear that he is vital to her plans. I don't think the price will be a problem. How much do you want?" The pause showed how weak he really was. He was indicating his emotions and demonstrating his inability to remain in control of the situation.

"Five million." I debated with myself for a moment. The price was no problem but it was far beyond what I should pay. He was hoping I would refuse. I could try to argue the price down but if I simply agreed it would leave him feeling weak and insignificant. It would also show him how wealthy we truly were, something he had always failed to grasp.

"Done. The tiger will be moving to Louisiana in the morning with his sister. I will wire the money to you as soon as I have witnessed his safe arrival." I didn't really think he would be stupid enough to do something out of spite but you never knew. Arrogance like his was a significant factor and we had seriously wounded his pride.

"Very well. How did you know I would agree to the deal?" Was he serious? Maybe he was that foolish.

"My wife always gets what she wants one way or another." I hung up leaving my threat in the air. I knew Sookie was good but she had proven to the entire world that there was nothing she couldn't do and they had also witnessed the crazed ferocity she used to fight for those she loved. She was not to be challenged and I enjoyed reminding others of the power at my disposal.

The conversation with Nevada had greatly improved my mood so I was much more prepared for the bombardment of messages and well wishing I had received. There were gifts from every state and even a gift from the High council. It seemed Astra was already being welcomed by the Vampire community and with each message and gift there was the offer of service and fealty. My daughter was going to be the most protected creature on the planet. She had the entire supe community at her disposal and the most powerful creature in existence as a mother.

I replied to each message and got one of the waitresses to move the gifts to my car so that I could show them to Sookie. I checked the monthly reports and made a few basic calls to the sheriffs about upcoming meetings. Pam had managed things very well in my absence so there was very little to do and I called her in to have our meeting before my guests arrived. The faster I got my work done the sooner I would be back in Sookie's arms.

"Yes master?"

"Sit down Pam. I want to have our meeting now, before they arrive." She sat down at the chair I indicated and waited for me to continue. "I am very happy with how things are being managed but I think we need to put more effort into restoring New Orleans." She smiled at me and I nodded to indicate she could speak.

"I agree. I have been planning a benefit to raise the funds to complete the restoration. Bill has been working very closely with the sheriff of area one and between them they have made a good job of the changes but funds have run low."

"Good idea what sort of thing did you have in mind?" I was interested. Pam was very creative when it came to it.

"Well we will need to hold a royal celebration for the baby but there will be far too many to invite. Sookie should not have to endure a party on the normal scale in her condition so I thought we could hold it here. We could take bids for tickets and those with the highest bids can come. We will use the money to restore the city and Sookie only has to sit on her throne and watch the party. Every supe in the country will want to come to the party. I have already had several requests for information on any such events from most of the royals and many pack masters." I was once again rewarded by my faith in Pam. She was as resourceful as she was intelligent.

"That is a very good idea. You're right that we need a formal celebration of the pregnancy and I do not want Sookie to have to worry about it. Make the arrangements but be sure to keep Sookie informed so she can have some input and doesn't feel like she is being taken by surprise. She should be getting her PA very soon so you should have plenty of help." I could hear some sort of commotion out in the bar and I listened more carefully until I heard the bouncers break up the fight and escort the trouble makers out.

"Really? She has actually hired someone? I thought for sure she would back out." I had been victim to a similar thought.

"Well you know she can't resist a distress call and the tiger is moving to Shreveport with his sister. She is going to hire the girl as her PA and the shifter will be her security at the diner." Pam raised an eyebrow at me.

"You are alright with that? The tiger working with her every day." I laughed at her lack of confidence in me.

"Sookie asked me the same thing. Am I really that bad?" Pam smiled widely.

"Yes." I laughed again at her honesty.

"Well just between us I actually gave Sookie the idea. I don't like the tiger. In fact I would take great delight in ending him very slowly but I cannot deny he is strong and a talented fighter. He also cares about Sookie and will risk his own life to save hers. I don't think we could have found anyone better to protect her and we certainly could not have found anyone she would more easily agree to. This was the perfect opportunity to get exactly what we wanted." I still couldn't believe the luck. I had spent weeks trying to formulate a plan to convince Sookie and she had agreed in seconds.

"Always the opportunist." I nodded and we shared a conspiratorial smile. The guards called us to inform me that my visitors had arrived and Pam left to collect them and get them refreshments.

I kept the meeting short, accepting their offers of congratulations with appropriate modesty. It seemed that they had been elected by the high council to present me with more gifts and promises of fealty.

"The first vampire child and the daughter of the great one should be given the proper respect and homage. The vampire council has decreed that your daughter shall be given a seat on the first panel when she comes of age. They have also elected Sookie as supreme minister." I couldn't believe what I was hearing. The high council hadn't accepted a new member for three thousand years. Now they were not only giving my daughter, my unborn daughter, a seat on the first panel (the highest ranking group in the council) but they were making my wife the head of the council. They had just made Sookie the president of all vampires. It was incredible.

"We can see that you are speechless. It is quite an honour and will be announced at the next conference in three weeks. We assume you can pass on the good news? Where is your wife, we hoped to see her tonight?" I looked up at the King of Nebraska and tried to force a smile. I suddenly understood what it was like for Sookie when she had to force a smile while hiding her reaction to the thoughts of strangers and friends alike.

"My wife is at home resting. The pregnancy makes her tire quickly and she had a very busy day today. She will be at the royal party to celebrate our daughter. My second, Pamela Ravenscroft, is arranging it if you would like tickets. I will pass on the news. Thank you for coming to tell me. It truly is an honour like no other." They nodded their goodbyes and left. I took a few minutes to try and collect myself. Sookie was going to freak out when I told her. I would have to manage my timing very carefully.

When I got home I found Sookie asleep on the couch where I had left her. She was surrounded in papers and the laptop was balanced precariously on her bump. She had fallen asleep while still working. She looked like she had landed in the middle of a storm. I collected her work and stowed it safely away before taking her up to bed. She moaned softly in her sleep as I pulled her to me and I felt Astra moving under the touch of my bare skin.

I took a few minutes to run through everything in my mind. There was still so much to be worried about. I was overjoyed at the power and intelligence of my daughter and I knew she would help keep Sookie safe. That brought me a little comfort but knowing that Sookie had yet to have a 'bad day' was highly disturbing. I knew better than to hope she was free and clear of the fever. Sometime soon my beautiful wife was going to crash. I kissed her and held her tighter as I drifted off to sleep. My dreams were full of the angel I called wife.


	17. Chapter 17

Chapter 17

"Sookie, you look wonderful! Thank you so much for doing all of this." Quinn was moving in to give me a hug but I pulled away knowing better than that. He frowned at my rejection.

"My daughter doesn't react well when I hug men that are not her daddy. She kicked me so hard when I hugged Bill the other day Eric had to catch me to stop me falling over. She takes after her father in the possessive department. It's great to see you Quinn." He frowned for a moment and then the cheeky smile I remembered so well spread over his face.

"So you got two telling you what to do now babe," he laughed heartily at that. "And not that long ago you didn't take orders from anyone." I laughed with him.

"I still don't take orders," I said tartly. "Now tell me where you want me to help." I winked at him and he led me inside. It was an average house in the suburbs of Shreveport. It was plenty big enough for the two of them having being designed for a family of five.

I ended up emptying boxes in the kitchen and putting things away. It reminded me of the days Quinn had helped me sort through Hadley's apartment in New Orleans. I didn't really want to think about that so I put the radio on and began dancing around as I pulled cups into the cupboard.

"Nice babe!" Quinn teased as he lopped into the room with yet another box.

"You know I can move," I said cheekily. He just shook his head and silently left to find another box. Clever man.

I finished up in the kitchen after an hour. Quinn was good with labels and it was really easy to sort through everything. He was in his bedroom wading through piles of clothes so I went to help Frannie with her room. The living room had been done while I had been in the kitchen.

"Want some help?" I asked peeping around the door. She was sat on the bed folding clothes that had been dumped in black bags.

"Sure," she said shyly. I sat beside her and began folding too. I wanted to talk to her but I knew she needed to make the first move. It took three songs on a CD I had never heard of for her to speak.

"Sookie, I just want to say thank you. You managed to get my brother free from Nevada. I have been so worried about him. He won't talk about it with me but I know how they treated him and with mum gone I have been worried he would lose his temper and get killed. If it wasn't for you he would still belong to them." She was crying now and took me completely by surprise by giving me a hug. I hugged her back and just held her for a while. I could feel that she just wanted to be comforted.

"He's family to me, you both are. I was happy to help." I held her. She pulled away and wiped her eyes with her sleeve.

"You really do care about him, don't you?" She was studying my face very carefully and I just smiled and nodded. She flung herself at me again and whispered frantically in my ear. "I am so sorry for being a bitch to you. I just thought you were using him and he really cares about you." I patted her back and pulled away. I was starting to get really tried from all the work.

"Frannie I understand. You were looking out for him. Hopefully we can be friends now?" She was looking down and I ducked my head to meet her gaze.

"I guess we can be friends boss." She said smiling timidly at me. "What exactly am I going to have to do as your PA?" She was changing the subject and had returned to folding clothes.

"I'm not sure. I haven't had one before. I guess you will just have to help me with my Queen duties and the diner. I think we will make it up as we go along." She nodded and got up to put the clothes away. I stayed where I was and stroked my stomach. She noticed.

"You're in pain." It wasn't a question. I was impressed that she actually cared.

"A bit. I just worked too much today. I will be alright if I rest for a while." She didn't seem convinced and ran out shouting for Quinn who came charging into the room like a, well like a tiger.

"What's wrong?" He demanded and I laughed at the overreaction.

"It's nothing. I just need to rest s'all. Your sister didn't believe me." I giggled at the dirty look Frannie was giving me.

"Good! Eric would skin me alive if I let anything hurt you while you were here. What should I do?"He had folded his arms and was giving me the 'you will do as you are told' stare.

"Nothing I just need to sit still for a few minutes." He held his hand out and practically growled at me.

"Phone." I passed him my phone without argument. I had learnt from Eric that it was just easier to go with it than try to put up a fight. He scanned down my address book and held the phone to his ear while it rang. I recognised the voice on the other end and didn't know if I should laugh or scream.

"Oh come on!" I moaned, "You don't have to tell on me, traitor!" Quinn ignored me and began explaining to Eric what I had said and what Frannie had seen. Eric must have told him what to do because he snapped the phone shut with a self-satisfied smile.

"Eric said you are not to move until we are ready to go."

"Go where?" I asked quickly losing my patience.

"He is meeting us at the Cajun restaurant where we will have lunch and then he is taking you home. He said you probably just need food and rest but that I am not to let you out of my sight." He handed me back my phone and I glowered at both him and his sister, who was hovering behind him.

"Now who is taking orders from the Viking vamp?" I jibbed. He laughed at me and shook his head again.

"I am but only because I know you babe. He even said you are a pigheaded pain in the ass when you want to be. For once, he was right." I smiled at the insult. I was quite proud that I could keep these big strong men on their toes. It was good for them.

"How come Eric didn't come with you today?" Frannie asked moving to sit by me on the bed again.

"He was asleep when I left this morning. He had meetings at Fangtasia last night and didn't get home till late. He left me a note to say I should do what I want today and he would meet me later." I winced as I felt another twinge. I wasn't worried. I could hear that Astra was alright. My stomach was just twanging. The doctor had warned me in my last check up that if I did too much that I could end up getting pains because my body was using all my energy growing at rapid rates. That was one reason I was supposed to drink the vitamin milkshakes as they helped prevent me burning out.

"How you feeling?" Frannie asked with wide eyes. I smiled at her and gripped the edge of the bed to try and ignore the pain.

"Ok." I lied, neither of them bought it.

"Watch her and holler if she tries to move," Quinn instructed his sister. "I am going to go get changed into some clean clothes. We are almost done anyway." Frannie nodded and he left. I helped Frannie pick an outfit to change into and she changed while I curled up on the end of her bed. By the time they were both ready to go the pain had gone and I was just feeling really tired again.

"Eric told me I should carry you to the car," Quinn explained leaning in.

"Hell no!" Quinn frowned and kept moving in to lift me up. I pulled away from him. "Eric doesn't have to suffer the beating of his jealous daughter. I can pop to the car." To prove my point I did just that. They both came running out with livid expressions and I began to think I was getting myself in too deep. Eric already had all the help he needed keeping an eye on me now it looked like I was adding two more to the list of his spies.

We all agreed a truce on the way to the restaurant and as Eric wasn't there yet Quinn let me walk in all by myself. Just like a big girl, how lucky was I? We all ordered drinks and food and our drinks were brought over quickly. I decided sugar was what I needed so I had a coke.

"Now would be a good time to talk about your job as security for the diner," I said taking a sip of my drink.

"Sure what is my job description?" He shifted in his chair and began tapping the table with his fingers.

"Well your primary role is as security to make sure everybody is safe in the diner but I want it to be a normal diner so you will be the manager and only I will know about the security part. Sort of like how Sam keeps the order in Merlotte's. Is that alright with you?" I took another drink, I was getting dizzy and the sugar was helping I could feel it.

"Sure boss," he winked at me and I giggled. "So does that mean I get to help hiring the staff and stuff?" I nodded.

"Yeah you get to help me with all that stuff and with planning the grand opening. Frannie you will have to help us with all that too so you will get to work with your brother quite a bit." They both smiled at each other about that. "Oh and I forgot to tell you. I want you both to pick your own salaries." They looked at me like I had gone crazy and it made me giggle again which didn't help with the dizziness.

"What? Sookie, no. You have already done so much for us we can't do that," Frannie complained. Her brother had the exact same frown and nodded along with her.

"Yes you can. Think about it and let me know what you expect. I will need you both to start real soon too because time is running out and, as you have seen today, I can't do very much right now." I drained the last of my coke and waived my glass to the waitress to indicate I needed another. We were the only ones in the restaurant so she scurried over to us and took my glass straight away. Quinn waited until she was gone to speak.

"Well we can both start tomorrow. Is that soon enough?" I nodded and smiled at them.

"That's great. I will meet you both at the diner at ten. I can show you around and we can plan out what needs to be done." They nodded in agreement and the waitress returned with my drink and the first of our meals. Another waitress followed her with the other two meals and we started eating.

* * *

The waitress was just walking away as I entered the restaurant. I was pleased with the tiger for ringing me and annoyed at Sookie for doing so much to cause her to get the pains. I could feel over the bond that she was very tired and a little dizzy but she was happy and I didn't want to ruin that. I sat down next to her and kissed her on the cheek. Both the tiger and his sister nodded to me and I nodded back. They were all eating silently so I just sat back and watched. The conversation remained light throughout the meal and I was relieved that Sookie seemed to pick up once the sugar hit her system.

"I need to go to the bathroom, excuse me," she said standing.

"I'll come with you," Frannie said. I was impressed by the girl's concern. It was clear she just wanted to make sure Sookie wasn't left alone. I waited until they were out of hearing range and took the opportunity.

"Tiger you should know that if anything happens to Sookie while she is in your protection I will personally see to it that you spend days screaming in agony and begging for death. Am I clear?" He smiled at me.

"And I thought you had gone soft since getting married. You are perfectly clear Viking but you should know that I will do everything in my power to keep her safe. You are not the only one who cares for her, you know?" I laughed at his bravery.

"Oh, I know. Believe me, I know. But you will never care for her like I do and you will never have a chance with her, she is MINE." I growled. I saw the waitress shrink away to the kitchen in fear from our little exchange. While we were being quiet our intent was clear from our body language and expressions.

"I know she is yours. She doesn't let anyone forget it and now you have a daughter backing you up too. The kid isn't even born yet and Sookie is altering her behaviour for her. What's with the no hug thing?" I grinned at him. I was so proud of her. I couldn't get too angry at the tiger as he had already proven today he could be trusted and I could hear the affection in his voice when he talked about Astra. He was happy for Sookie and that extended to my daughter.

"What can I say? She has good taste." He laughed at that and I couldn't help but laugh with him.

"There is one thing I want to know while they are gone. Sookie said you didn't hurt her brother but is that true? Did you really not do anything to him?" I could tell that he hated the brother as much as I did.

"I didn't hurt Jason because hurting him would hurt Sookie and that would be counterproductive. I did, however, explain to him the many reasons why it was in his interests not to be a problem anymore. He was quite receptive." I smirked remembering how scared he had been when I had shown up on his doorstep.

"You glamoured him?" I shrugged and the tiger smiled. "You are more tolerant than I am. I would have beaten the crap out of him. He deserves it. I bet he hasn't phoned her once just to see how she is doing, selfish little bastard. I just don't understand how Sookie turned out the way she did surround by dicks her whole life." I smiled. I had often wondered the same thing.

"She is one of a kind." He shook his head to show his agreement and Sookie came back to the table smiling widely at me.

We finished in the restaurant and I led Sookie out to the limo which I had waiting right outside. She had already made plans to meet the Quinns so goodbyes were short. I lifted her onto my lap as we headed home. She rested her head on my shoulder and closed her eyes content. For the first time today I felt like I could relax, knowing she was safe in my arms. I had hated waking with her gone and it had taken every ounce of self-control to keep from turning up at the tiger's house just to be near her.

When we reached the house I led her into the garden and sat her down on the bench. I needed to tell her about the news from last night. I had wanted to keep it from her but I knew that I couldn't keep something like that from her. She would feel I was hiding something and if she found out it would ruin the trust she had in me.

"Sookie there is something important I need to tell you." I took her hand in mine and started playing with her small fingers.

"What Eric? You can tell me anything, you know that." I took a moment to pray she wouldn't freak out when I told her and began.

"Last night I met the King of Nebraska and Queen of Iowa. They were chosen by the high council to come to me to deliver the news. This is big Sookie but it is really good news so please just try to stay calm." Her eyebrows pulled together and her smile turned down into a hard line.

"What Eric? Just spit it out."

"The high council have decreed that Astra is to have a seat on the first panel when she is old enough. It's fitting as all of the royals have sworn fealty to her." She smiled and rubbed her bump.

"That's wonderful. I thought you said they never gave seats out?" Her eyes were searching mine and I knew she could feel there was more.

"They don't but as she is the first vampire child and your daughter they felt it was time to change that. It means she is safe." I pressed my hand to the bump too, over Sookie's and I could feel our daughter moving around.

"What are you not telling me?" Sookie was looking down at the roots of the oak tree and I lifted her chin to meet my face.

"They have also decreed that you are to be supreme minister. At the next conference they will announce that you rule over the high council. You are the boss of us all now Sookie." She smiled back at me and I felt relief wash over me. I don't know what I had expected but she wasn't having a fit or crying so this was good.

"Wasn't I already?" I roared with laughter. She was right. She had already proven that.

"My little goddess." She reached up to kiss me and I kissed her back pleased at how things had worked out. Life seemed to be perfect.

After showing each other just how perfect life could be and how much we loved each other I took her back inside to show her the pile of gifts we had been given. She laughed at the more elaborate and lavish items. The diamond pacifier was especially funny. She really liked some of the gifts, particularly the trips to Disney world and Aqua land.

We ended the day curled up on the couch watching a movie together. I could relax with her beside me and she could relax being absolutely content as us doing something so normal. I had never felt her be so happy before. It made every second of my life worth it to feel such joy in my bonded.


	18. Chapter 18

Chapter 18

The club was really busy, as usual, but tonight the crowd was less than pleasing. Eric's appearance yesterday had stirred up the vermin and now they were more daring than usual. All of the vampires in attendance were putting in complaints and I had kicked away five fangbangers already tonight. They seemed to be restless for our fierce leader to arrive. I knew he wouldn't be making an appearance and were it not for the fact I had a secret meeting with Bill Compton tonight I would have been on the phone begging him to show his face.

I had a plan to both help Bill achieve his big gesture and provide hours of entertainment for myself, all at Eric's expense. I was looking forward to sharing the plan even if it was with Compton as I had been thinking about it for too long. I went to the office to await his arrival, and hide from the swarms of pathetic people dancing, drunk and needy.

I had already enjoyed my meal for the night, a beautiful little Chinese girl called Starlita. She had been very talented for a blood bag and I was rather fond of her. She was still in my house working off the glamour that had sent her spinning out of this world. I would enjoy her again before I went to rest.

I answered the emails and made the phone calls. The arrangements for the royal party were almost complete and as expected I was being inundated with bids for tickets. I sent thank you notes for all of the gifts and denied three more interviews. I even managed to find time to read about pregnancy. Eric still didn't know that Ludwig had confided in me about the dangerous nature of Sookie's condition. The good doctor knew that Eric would not handle the truth enough to be of use and so she had turned to me. I was preparing in case something happened. I needed to know what to do to keep mother and child alive. The further in my training I progressed the more respect I had for the telepath. She was brave indeed.

"Pam, you wished to see me?" Compton came in and sat down by the desk.

"Do you still wish to do something for Sookie and Eric?" I handed him a True blood that I had brought in ready for his arrival and he took a sip.

"I do. Do you have a plan?" I smiled widely.

"I do. Are you aware of Sookie's current condition?" I wasn't sure how much was widely known and I didn't want to tell him something and live to regret it.

"You mean the fact that she is vitally ill and walking around like a bomb waiting to go off? Or do you mean that her child is sucking all the strength out of her? Yes I am aware of her condition. I worked it out whilst at that Baby Shower of yours." I felt almost sorry for him. He was bitterly worried about her but he had no right to do anything to help. He wasn't even supposed to know so he couldn't ask how she was doing each day.

"I know of a ring that is designed for magical pregnancies. It is designed to protect and ensure health to the child. It will not help Sookie herself but it will help Astra and they are linked." I shrugged and he took another sip of his blood.

"So helping the child will help the mother?" He raised his eyebrows and sat up slightly. This was quite the reaction for him. I must have underestimated how much he wanted to help her. I couldn't blame him for it. Sookie seemed to stimulate the instinctual urge to protect in all who met her.

"Exactly. If you could procure it they would be very grateful to you." I was fighting hard now to keep a straight face. This was too easy!

"What do _you_ get from this?" He was trying to stare me down, ahh how sweet of him.

"The ring, the only one of its kind, is in the possession of Sigdan Rivers. I have missed Sigdan a great deal. The last time I saw him women were still fighting for equal rights. I know you of all people will be able to track him down." He shifted in his chair and crossed his legs. Outside the office I could hear the bar in full swing. They were playing one of my favourite songs.

"I can find him but how will I convince him to give me the ring?"

"That's the best part. The ring is useless to him he only keeps it for sentimental reasons. If you tell him who it is for he will gladly give it to you." Bill frowned at me confused and I giggled softly at the craftiness of my plan.

"Why would he do that?" Finally! I had been dying again trying to keep this to myself.

"Because Sigdan is Eric's older brother. Very few know about him because Eric keeps his distance from his brother. They have different...personalities." If Eric were the fighter, Sigdan was the joker. He was a perpetual embarrassment to Eric but despite their differences they did share genuine affection for each other. Eric just preferred to share it with several thousand miles between them. If he turned up and Sookie discovered who he was she would be certain to invite him to stay with them. I couldn't wait to see Eric's face!

The best part of this plan was that even if Sigdan came and didn't gain entry to the Northman homestead he could stay with me. We had shared several very memorable nights together. I felt my dead heart flutter at the memory. That was something else that annoyed Eric.

"So you think this Sigdan will come and give the ring to Sookie and that in turn will help her through the pregnancy?" I nodded and he seemed convinced.

"I don't have a better plan and I will do anything that has the slightest chance of helping her, now more than ever." He stood up and I stood too out of habit. Eric had always taught me to remain on the same level as your competition so that they couldn't gain an upper hand. "Tell me Pam, is it true?" He looked perplexed. It wasn't a very attractive look on his simple face.

"Is what true?" Of course I knew what he was talking about. It was all any vampires were talking about right now and I had heard it straight from Eric last night.

"Is Sookie really supreme minister?"

"She is. She rules us all now but we could do worse." He smiled at my assessment.

"True but it's a lot for one so young to take on."

"I think she can handle it. Besides, do you really think Eric would let her do anything that would be harmful to her?" He shook his head as if he was trying to remind himself of something.

"No and at least she will no longer be in any danger. She will make a wonderful vampire one day." I nodded my agreement. I had often thought Sookie would make a good vampire even before that seemed like a possibility. She was good but she was strong, brave and fierce too. She liked a fight and she stood up to be counted when it really mattered. I was very much looking forward to seeing what she became when she was turned. I wondered how much of her innocence she would lose and replace with wild strength.

"Keep me in touch with your progress Bill." He nodded and left to begin. I sat back down at my desk and smiled at the pictures of Sookie and Astra. They were our future and what a wonderful future it was shaping up to be.


	19. Chapter 19

Chapter 19

Thanks to Eric insisting that he help me shower I was twenty minutes late arriving at the diner to meet Quinn and Frannie. Eric dropped me off before heading off to a meeting. He had been very vague on the details but he had called Quinn and arranged for him to drive me home. Eric had also insisted on dressing me and I had been coerced with his very talented mouth into submission.

Quinn whistled at my outfit as I climbed out of the car. I was wearing a yellow cami, white knit cardigan and specially made jeans that looked good even with my gargantuan baby bump. I was also wearing my favourite pair of boots. My hair was tied up to expose my neck and show off the new set of fangs marks courtesy of Eric. It had been a while since we had shared blood and this morning he had insisted. I felt bad that he wasn't drinking from me as much as normal because he was afraid of harming me while I was pregnant. I was just glad that he didn't need to feed from a donor as my blood would keep him happy for a few weeks with just one sip.

"I am sorry I'm late guys." I hobbled to the door and took out the set of keys from my bag. I unlocked the door and deactivated the alarm before switching on the lights. They both seemed impressed with the place and I took great pride in showing them around. I noticed out of the corner of my eye that Quinn was giving me a strange smile.

"It's wonderful Sookie. I bet you are looking forward to opening," Frannie sat down in a booth and I joined her while Quinn continued to scout around assessing for security hazards.

"You bet! It will just be nice to be around average people again. I spend so much time with vamps now and I think they can be a bad influence." I winked and Frannie giggled as Quinn came and sat opposite us.

"Looks simple enough. If I am behind the bar I should have good access to any trouble and Eric has put in the best security system available. There are security cameras covering every inch of the place and a panic alarm in your office and under the bar."

"I wouldn't be surprised if the cameras feed to Fangtasia as well as my office," I added. Quinn smiled but it wasn't a happy smile.

"They do but I am surprised you figured that out." I just shrugged my shoulders. I could have easily been pissed about it but I knew it wouldn't get me anywhere and he was just looking out for me. So what if he could see everything I did? I could always cut the power to the cameras if I needed to.

"The code to the alarm is Tara and here are your keys." I handed Quinn a set of keys to the diner and Frannie a set to the diner and a set to the house. "The blue keychain are for the house, you will need access around the clock." She nodded and stowed them away in her pocket.

"Here are our contracts. We signed them before we came out and we agree with the salaries your lawyer suggested." Quinn slid the paper over the table and I stored them in my folder. I had come prepared and I took out several items from my bag. We began by planning everything that still needed to be done for the diner. I showed them my ideas for the menu to which they both approved. It was a simple menu like those found in diners all over the country and it should be easy to keep on top of. We made a list of supplies that needed to be ordered and staff that needed to be hired. The longest discussion was over uniforms. I knew we needed a uniform but I wanted something comfy and simple. Quinn wanted something sexy and Frannie thought both needed to be considered. In the end we agreed on black miniskirts and red t-shirts with the diner logo in white print over the left chest. I also wanted red baseball caps with the same logo.

"Hey does that mean I have to wear the uniform?" Quinn asked as soon as we reached a decision. I laughed at the thought of him in a tight red tee-shirt and baseball cap.

"No. As manager you get a few privileges," I said with a smile. He wiggled his eyebrows at me causing Frannie to roll her eyes and slap him over the chest.

"Be good," she warned. He gave her a dirty look and I took the opportunity to be a little bit evil.

"You better do as she says. I mean technically she is your boss y'know." He looked at me with raised eyebrows, horrified and she smiled smugly.

"What?" His voice was deep and sharp.

"Well she is my PA and that means an order coming from her is the next thing to an order coming from me. I am trusting her to work on my behalf so," I shrugged, "she's top dog." Frannie was preening at this information and Quinn had a pained expression somewhere between wounded pride at being managed by his kid sister and pride that she had done so well for herself.

"I had no idea this job would give me that much power," she said pleased.

"Oh, that reminds me. Last night I found out that the High council have made me supreme minister so you will have plenty of work to keep you busy." Frannie looked like she didn't know what I was talking about. Quinn gripped the table with both hands.

"You're shitting me!" He yelled causing Frannie to jump.

"No what else did you expect them to do with 'the great one'. I giggled at the melodramatic way they categorised everything.

"That's. That's. That's..." He got a dreamy look on his face and I could tell he simply couldn't fathom what I had told him.

"What are you talking about? I haven't seen Quinn that speechless since he found out I had been dating a boy five years older than me." She smiled at the memory briefly before returning her gaze to me.

"The High council basically are the top of the vampire hierarchy and the supreme minister is the head of the council. They have made me the president of the vampires." I took a bottle out of my bag and had a swig.

"That's so cool! You're not even a vampire!" That snapped Quinn back to the here and now. He started laughing and shaking his head.

"You have no idea kid," he told his sister. "She is big news. You are going to be very busy and very important. Sure you're up to the job?" Frannie stuck her tongue out at her brother.

"I have every faith in your sister but there is one thing I want to make clear." I turned my body to face Frannie and she looked at me seriously. "You are going to have to work with supes of every description and many of them in high positions like Pack masters or Kings and Queens. When I say 'work with' I mean you are going to be telling them what to do. They are NOT going to like being told what to do by a human and you need to know that. If any of them show you any disrespect I am to know immediately. Disrespect to you is disrespect to me and that cannot be tolerated. The faster we send that message out the easier it will be for all of us. So if they avoid a call, give you cheek, call you a name...anything and you let me know. Got it?" She nodded solemnly.

"What will you do to them?" I could tell she was afraid to ask that question. I smiled softly to reassure her.

"That depends what they do to you. I don't hurt people without cause." She relaxed at that and Quinn reached over the table to pat her hand.

"Don't worry kiddo. Sookie is one of the best you are lucky to be getting this chance." She smiled up at her brother and he winked at her before looking at me. "What about Eric?"

"Oh, right, yeah." I sighed not sure how to word this part. "Eric is King and my husband so that gives him rights but he has promised to let me have some independence and not interfere. That doesn't mean he won't try and get information out of you. He is good at that." Quinn laughed at my assessment. "You can tell Eric what I tell you to tell him. If you are not sure don't say it. I don't have secrets from him but some things just aren't his business!" Frannie nodded in understanding and giggled at my conclusion. I took another sip of my drink and passed out the sheets of paper with our lists and plans.

"So I can get to work on ordering stock and publicity for the open day. Quinn is to hire staff and you are going to deal with Pam and the Baby party at Fangtasia." Frannie summarised our tasks and we all nodded in agreement.

"Yeah and once I got more info on my duties as SM I will let you know. One last thing and this is to stay between the three of us kay?" They nodded to show they understood. "I want total honesty between us and I want the three of us to work together informally. I trust you and I have enough people running around after me and bowing to me. I would like it if we can just be friends and get the jobs done. You are my team separate from Eric and everything else. This is my place and I want it to be fun to work here." They both gave me the same wide grin.

"Gotcha, friendship and honesty. Sounds good to me." Frannie nodded to agree with her brother and we shared a moment of comradery. I packed the papers back into my bag and they each took their folders ready to begin their jobs. Quinn locked up for me and Frannie took my arm in hers as we walked out of the diner.

I had only been in the car five minutes but I knew something was wrong. Quinn was supposed to be taking me home but we were going in the wrong direction and Shreveport was quickly falling behind us.

"Where are you taking me?" I asked annoyed. I hated being surprised in the fashion of being kidnapped.

"Eric told me where to take you and I am following orders. Just sit back and relax we will be there in ten minutes." I repressed the desire to pop home and say to hell with bossy men at the sight of his cocky smile. Instead I settled for watching the landscape that passed by. I absently rubbed my bump as I watched the trees and hedges whizz past us. Astra was sleeping and for a second I wanted to join her. We had worked hard this morning and I was ready to get something to eat and have a nap. I should have known Eric was up to something when he didn't put up a fight to me being left in peace for our meeting. With all of his fellow vampires asleep during the day there wasn't a lot for him to do so when he was busy it usually meant he was doing something for me.

We pulled into the parking lot of a very posh country club. Eric was waiting for us in the front and he opened my door for me.

"Hello lover," he said with a sly smile and a kiss on my cheek. I took his hand and let him help me out of the car.

"Eric what's going on?" He held his hands up to show surrender causing Quinn to roar with laughter.

"I am innocent. Just wait and see." He took my hand and led me through the lobby and restaurant of the club. When we reached the back I understood.

"SURPRISE!" There must have been over a hundred shifters and Weres shouting to me. There were baby banners and balloons along with a table piled high with gifts.

"Alcide wanted it to be a surprise and as he did such a good job on your diner I said I would help him," Eric whispered in my ear. He placed his hand on the small of my back and led me into the crowd. I kissed and hugged them all. Tray, Amelia, Calvin Norris and many others I had met over the years. I finally found the culprit and I slapped his chest before giving him a very quick hug (while mentally projecting to Astra to behave).

"I thought a BBQ would be more fun than a regular party," Alcide explained as I took in the six grills that were going.

"It's great Alcide but you didn't have to do any of this." He smiled down at me, his green eyes sparkling.

"Yes I did. You are friend of the pack and that extends to your daughter too. Besides, everyone wanted a chance to show you their support and I wasn't going to be the one to refuse them." He took a sip of his beer and whistled to tell someone to put the music on.

"Thank you," I said hugging him again, "and thank you for the diner. I love it." He blushed slightly and looked up at Eric.

"So you weren't bullshitting me about her reaction then?" Eric laughed and slapped him on the shoulder.

"Oh, no. I was perfectly honest." Eric led me to a table and sat me down before racing off to get me a drink and something to eat. I put my feet up on an empty chair and let my eyes close for a moment. It was wonderful that I had so many friends around me. It wasn't that long ago that I felt like the loneliest person in the world. I was a little worried that Jason wasn't here but Calvin told me he had to work but sent his congratulations. I missed my brother even if I was mad at him. I decided I would ring him first chance I got. Eric came back and put the food unceremoniously before me. I dug in while he sat in the chair my feet had been resting on. He lifted my feet into his lap and began to massage them which was very distracting. I was enjoying the hot dogs and burgers. It felt like forever since I had eaten average food. I washed it all down with lemonade and just sat back and relaxed. It was nice being able to close my eyes and listen to the music in the background, accented by the sounds of the party. People talking, dancing, eating and laughing together.

"Lover are you alright?" I opened my eyes to look at Eric. He was watching me with a deep frown and I tried to reassure him with a smile.

"Sure sweetie. This is really great. I am just a bit tired s'all. Want to dance?" I could tell he absolutely did not want to dance. He wanted to keep me off my feet but reluctantly he agreed.

We glided around to two songs before Alcide called for everyone's attention. There were a number of speeches wishing us luck and offering advice before the music started up again. Frannie came over and told me that she would arrange for the gifts to be delivered to my house and if I left a list of who sent what she would also write the thank you cards. Eric was impressed with the initiative and I told him about my meeting earlier that morning.

"Where do you think you're going?" He asked as I stood up and began to head inside.

"To the ladies room. I won't be long. You can get me another drink while you're waiting," I suggested and he rolled his eyes but let me go. I was glad I was able to conceal exactly how bad I felt from Eric because there was no way he would have let me go if he had felt it. I was feeling really sick but I didn't want to ruin the party or worry Eric so I headed to the ladies toilets. I dabbed cold water on my face to try and make myself feel better but it didn't work and I ended up on the floor with my head over the toilet.

I must have been there longer than I realised because Frannie came in looking for me and she nearly ran straight back out again when she saw how hideous I looked.

"No don't go!" I told her and she came back to me.

"Sookie you look terrible. What's wrong? What can I do? Shouldn't I go get Eric? He is really worried about you he said you have been gone half an hour." Had I really been throwing up for half an hour? That must be why I felt like I had done 1000 sit ups while on a rollercoaster and drunk. I was really dizzy and my vision was blurry but I figured that was from having my head down for so long. My mouth tasted bitter and my throat was raw. I just wanted to lie back and die.

"Don't get Eric yet. I just need a minute. I think the sickness has stopped. Could you pass me some wet paper towels? I need to get my temperature down." She frowned at me but did as I asked getting a pile of green paper towels (the good kind not the kind that disintegrate in seconds, this was a nice place) and soaking them in cold water for a minute. I placed them on my head and felt a bit better straight away. I lay back on the floor not caring how disgusting it was to rest your head on the floor of public toilets. I just needed everything to stop spinning. My eyes had drifted shut but I heard Frannie leave as the door swung shut. I sighed knowing it wouldn't be long before Eric came in like the knight in shining armour. I couldn't deal with the drama right now. I just wanted to sleep.

_Love you momma. Get better and be happy. _I sighed again, rubbing the bulge. She was aware of how terrible I felt, it had woke her up, and that made me feel even worse. She was willing me to feel better and sending me love and comfort in waves.

_I will be alright baby don't worry about me. I love you just go back to sleep._

"Sookie!" Eric cried bursting into the toilets closely followed by Frannie, Quinn and Alcide.

"Grhhmanm, could you talk a bit quieter please my head hurts." I groaned and I felt cold hands on my cheek feeling how hot I was.

"Sookie you're burning up!" He whispered but in a very dramatic attention grabbing way.

"No. I'm not, am I?" I said very sarcastically. I knew I was being a bitch but right in that moment I really didn't care. "Could someone get me a coke or something I have a nasty taste in my mouth and I could really use the sugar." I heard somebody leave but as I had my eyes closed still I didn't have any idea who it was.

"We need to get you home and call the doctor," I could hear the panic seeping into Eric's voice.

"What about the party?" I moaned. I didn't want to fight. I couldn't think of anything better than crawling into bed and sleeping for a year but they had gone to so much trouble and I didn't want to be rude and just leave.

"Don't worry about it Sook. We have done the formal stuff and you have said hey to everyone. They will understand, besides, I think most of them are too drunk to notice at this point." I opened my eyes and smiled up at Alcide. Quinn came in and handed me a glass of coke which Eric took and helped me to drink. Once the glass was empty he picked me up and carried me out to the car.

I must have fallen asleep in his arms because when I next opened my eyes I was lying in bed. I was dressed in a thin silk nightgown, there was an ice pack on my head and Dr. Ludwig was stood by the bed talking to Eric. She noticed me looking at them and directed her speech to me.

"You young lady are to stay in bed for a couple of days. Your blood pressure is far too high and you have to relax to bring it back down." I nodded to indicate that I would do what she told me and Eric led her out. No doubt they were going to continue their private conversation but I really didn't care. I was so exhausted that I fell back to sleep in seconds.


	20. Chapter 20

Chapter 20

When I opened my eyes Eric was sat reading beside me. I glanced up at the clock and saw that it was one o'clock. I still felt tired but I knew I wouldn't be able to go back to sleep for a while. My head felt better although I was still hot and there was still an ice pack on my forehead.

"Hey," I said with a hoarse voice. Eric put his book down and looked at me with a small smile.

"Hey," he repeated. I could feel his stress and fear over the bond. Part of me was ready to demand to be told what was bothering him. The other part knew better and really didn't want to know.

"Sorry to be such a pain in the ass," I said repeating his words to Quinn the other day. He brushed his fingers over my cheek. My skin was so hot that they felt colder than usual but it was bliss. I lifted my hand to hold his hand in place against my face.

"I'm used to it," he teased in a gentle voiced. "Are you hungry?"

"A little but don't go just sit with me for a while." He laced his fingers with mine, still keeping his hand to my face. He had that soft, tender look in his eyes that I had fallen in love with.

"For as long as you want," he promised.

"Read to me." I closed my eyes as he pulled a book out of his bedside table and began reading. It was Dan Brown's latest book and even though I didn't really like the style of writing the way Eric read the words made it seem like the best story I had ever heard. He read for hours and I felt my whole self relax. All of my aches, worries and stress floated away leaving me feeling perfectly calm.

"I will read more later lover but you need to eat." He closed the book and placed it on the table before dashing off to find food. I was hungry so when he returned with a tray my stomach snarled causing me to giggle. He rearranged the pillows and helped me sit up before feeding me. It was tomato soup followed by peanut butter and pickle sandwiches. I practically inhaled it which pleased Eric. I wasn't pleased until a few hours later when I was sure it was going to stay down.

While I was drinking a two litre bottle of coke security called Eric. I couldn't hear what they were saying but he looked really unhappy.

"What is it?" I asked. His face went blank and I knew he was trying to hide something from me. "Eric if you want me to relax you better quit the protective crap and tell me what's up." He growled and his eyes flashed with anger but he repressed it and answered softly.

"Frannie is here. She is demanding to see you but the guards are holding her downstairs." I smiled at her courage. It was only her second day and she was already taking on Eric to break into the compound. I was impressed. That took balls.

"Let her up," I told him. He looked like he was about to argue or flat out refuse. "Let. Her. Up," I said in my most authoritative voice. I emphasised each word and I wasn't trying to hide the threat in my eyes. I would lie back in this bed as long as they wanted. I would eat, drink and swallow whatever they gave me. I would be good and do what I had to so that my baby stayed safe and healthy but I wouldn't be cut off from the world. The whole reason for having a PA was so that they could do things for me while I was out of action or busy elsewhere.

"Let her up," he called into the phone before slamming it down into the receiver and folding his arms. He was sulking.

"Get over it Eric. She is my PA and that means it's her job to inform me of what's going on. I told her not to take crap from anyone, even you and she is doing better than I thought." He growled at me again and I noticed his fangs had run down. If I was anyone else I would be fleeing for my life around about now but I was me and I wouldn't take that shit. "Don't you growl at me Eric Northman! I will stay in bed. I will be good but you are not cutting off my links to the outside world. I am pregnant not a prisoner!" He sighed heavily but he unfolded his arms and pulled me on his lap. He nuzzled my neck and placed his hand on my bump which was now very large.

"Sorry. You're right and you're doing your part. I love you." He brushed my hair back with his free hand and kissed me on the cheek. I knew that with those three little words he was trying to explain but he didn't need to explain because of the bond. I knew he was terrified for me and that was causing him to act like an insensitive jerk. I understood and I loved him enough to forgive him but that didn't mean I had to take it.

Frannie came in carrying a laptop which she set up on the bed to show me what she had ordered. She showed me the adverts for the diner and pulled out a sample of the menu.

"Wow Frannie, that's fast work. You're good." She blushed and smiled widely at the compliment.

"I work well under informal situations," she said causing me to giggle and Eric to glower at her. He never approved of my friendly approach. He was a good boss but he still ruled with fear.

"Well it looks like I am gonna be down for a few days so I am gonna need you to do a few things." She sat down on the bed with a notepad ready.

"Sure boss." I took a minute to think through everything.

"Well first is the diner. I don't want to set back the opening so make sure everything is ordered and put away. Give your brother a heads up and let him do his thing but keep me informed." She nodded as she scribbled frantically.

"Next, sort the gifts from the party last night and do the thank you notes. I really don't have the strength to deal with any of that. Oh, and make sure you send something as a thank you to Alcide for throwing the party." She scribbled her notes and looked up at me with questions in her eyes. I held up my hand to indicate she could speak.

"What sort of thing? Like flowers or season tickets to the football?"

"He prefers baseball to football but good idea. Go with it. Oh, also you will need to sort your expenses card so you can do all of that. My lawyer should have that stuff ready for you just give him a ring. I need you to talk to Pam about my Queen stuff. Finally, I need you to ring the high council and find out what they need from me too. Got that?" She finished scribbling and looked at me with a wide smile.

"Yep. Should be ok." She began to pack everything into her bag.

"Cool any probs just let me know." She smiled down at me and I could see the happiness in her eyes at having responsibility for a change.

"Sure thing boss. You need anything personally to help with your recovery?" I was just about to say I was fine when Astra gave me a little nudge reminding me of an idea I had had while listening to Eric read.

"Actually could you get me some classical music and a few more books?" I saw Eric smile out of the corner of my eye at my request. She took out her notepad and jotted it down and then left with a smile.

"Lover I am quite impressed with that one. And you, you asked for music and books." I looked up at him and enjoyed the smile on his face for a second.

"Yeah well I really like listening to you read to me and the whole point is for me to relax." He put me on my back and lay down again pulling me to him.

"And the music?" He was playing with my hair and that reminded me that I still needed to have a shower.

"I read that it is good for babies. They can hear in the womb and it helps to keep them calm. Astra was really worried about me yesterday and I will feel better if she relaxes. I should be worried about her not the other way round." Eric put his hand back on my bump and massaged lightly. Astra moved at his touch and he chuckled.

"True but I worry about both of you and she is just as loving as her mommy. She can't help but fret for you. Be happy that she is smart and safe." I nodded and let Eric hold me for a few minutes.

I was just getting dry from my shower when Pam arrived. I pulled on a clean nightie and hobbled over to the bed. Eric had wanted to help me but I insisted I needed to use my legs and so he had sat on the bed listening intently in case I needed some help. I giggled as Pam licked her lips at my appearance. Eric snarled at her causing her to look down at the floor in shame.

"What can I do for you Pam?" I asked in an enthusiastic voice. I was pleased to be seeing people today.

"What couldn't you do for me Sookie," she said with a leer. I giggled but Eric didn't find it funny at all.

"Are you trying to get me to punish you Pamela?" I frown at Eric but he was too busy glowering at Pam to notice.

"Sorry master. I simply came to discuss the royal party. I have a guest list, food list, music list and ideas for colour schemes." She handed me the large ring binder with all the information and I looked through it as the two vampires slipped into downtime.

Everything was fairly average for a party. The food was normal and the music was a list of all mine and Eric's favourites. The guest list was what I expected and I gave a heavy sigh at the thought of seeing all of those royal vamps again. There were more shifters on the list than I expected but none that I had met before. In fact, the list of friends was very small. It was going to be a very dull party.

"It's all fine. I would go with the black and gold colour scheme. Pam," she looked at me with sharp eyes raised to show she was listening. "I want Jason there." She looked to Eric who was scowling again.

"Lover..." he didn't finish obviously taking in my expression. It isn't smart to piss off a pregnant woman, especially one like me and I was adamant that my brother be there. For one I hadn't seen Jason in weeks. Plus my maternal instincts were going into overdrive and I needed all of my family close. I wanted Astra to know her uncle Jase. If the party was going to be all politics I may as well make use of the occasion for something I actually cared about.

"Consider it done," she said and dashed out with a nod to each of us. I curled back up beside Eric and he continued reading for me. His voice was so soothing I was asleep after a couple of pages.

I woke up screaming. Eric was holding me close to his body but I couldn't stop screaming. I had been dreaming about the night I died and the images of destruction were rolling around my head. I had been working really hard to not think about that night for one reason. While I had linked everyone to me and forced them to feel _my_ pain I had been forced to live _theirs_. I had never felt so much agony before and the memories were too much to bear. My life was full and happy but underneath the joy there were scars that couldn't be ignored. I could feel the darkness of them all the time but I ignored it and focused on my life. Gran had taught me not to dwell and I had tried to follow that principle.

Right now I was drowning in pain and fear. I was tired down to my very cells as I thought about the injustice of life. There was always going to be pain and loss and there was nothing I could do about it. Grief and misery washed over me and the screams melted into sobs. Eric was stroking the back of my head and rocking me back and forth in his lap. I clung to his chest and cried so hard I thought my chest would split. I kept my eyes closed but still I couldn't stop seeing it. Blood, death, pain and fear. So many memories, my own and others, played out in my mind at delirious speeds like they were stuck on fast forward.

"Shhh Sookie, I'm here. I've got you." Eric chanted over and over. It didn't help stop the tears but it made the pain more bearable. I couldn't speak for the tears so I just held him as I shook.

"I love you," he whispered. His words were echoed by Astra's thoughts and love was flooding the bond too. I still couldn't control my mind and stop the pictures but the dark feelings ebbed a little. I felt something warm inside me building. It was like I was a volcano and I could feel the lava deep inside me but I knew it wouldn't be long before I erupted.

Sure enough as the tears stopped and the shakes slowed I felt a surge of power and the room was momentarily filled with blinding white light. I pulled away from Eric who was watching me with terrified eyes. He had been crying too and there was blood dried to his cheeks. I was gasping for breath like I had just run a mile and holding my stomach in both arms. The light was Astra. She was using her powers to help me fight the anguish. In that second of blinding light I had seen my daughter as she would be and felt her power. That second was all it took to help me out of the darkness.

* * *

For two hours she had been screaming before the screams finally woke her. I had tried everything to keep her calm and the dread was now consuming me. I had been waiting for this but that hadn't been any preparation. I just held her as she cried and prayed to the gods she would be alright. I told her over and over that I loved her and that I was there for her. Love and comfort, that was what the doctor ordered and I was doing my best to give them to her. I would cut my own heart out if it would help her.

I was ready to despair as she sobbed, shaking uncontrollably in my arms. I too was crying from my own fear and lack of control. I was utterly helpless to fix this and it was eating away at me. I would never tell her how scared I had been. No one could ever know. Until I had seen her dead in my arms I had not known such fear had existed. For all the torture and death I had given and endured I had not known that suffering before. I could not know it again.

There was a blinding light and I knew it had come from Sookie. She pulled away from me but I couldn't tell what she was feeling as the bond was closed. I watched her carefully trying to brace myself for whatever might come next. She shouldn't be using her powers as she was already weakened from the high blood pressure but I knew she wasn't using them intentionally.

"I saw her Eric." Her face was full of wonder and love. She had a distant gaze and I just waited for her to explain. She smiled and it was the most beautiful smile I had ever seen on her face. I felt my whole body relax at the sight. It was over. She was safe. "I saw Astra. She is going to be so beautiful." I pulled her back to me and wrapped my arms tight around her shoulders. I breathed in the scent of her hair and let the relief wash away some of the fear.

"She was about three and she had pretty blonde curls and your eyes. She is so smart too. She is going to be powerful. Telepathy, teleportation, telekinesis, empathy, a mimic and eidetic. She is going to be a handful." I could hear the doting tone of her voice and another blood tear ran down my cheek.

"What happened Sookie?" My voice was hardly a whisper but I knew she heard me because her arms tightened around my back. She was comforting me.

"I was trapped feeling all these things and seeing all these things that I had been fighting. I was ready to give up when you and Astra told me you loved me. That was what I held on to and Astra blasted me with her empathy power at the same time as I had the vision. All that love reminded me of what is important. It's hard to explain but it was like the pain just didn't matter anymore because the love was stronger. I realised that I have everything I want and what went before and what I can't control just has to fade into the background." Was it true? Could she have won? I prayed it was so and held her to me.

We must have held each other for three hours before Sookie started to get sleepy again. I tucked her in and sat listening to her breathing. The two heartbeats were much more in sync now and I just closed my eyes and enjoyed the sound as my hands restlessly explored Sookie's warm body. It was coming up to dawn before I had calmed enough to sleep and even as I fell to rest my arms remained locked around my family.


	21. Chapter 21

Chapter 21

It was absolute chaos. There were people all over the house trying to prepare for the royal party tonight. Eric had insisted that I have a day being totally pampered so that I could arrive relaxed. While Frannie and Eric ran around organising caterers, decorators and the DJ (all of whom were being managed long distance so Eric could remain at home with me) I had a massage, pedicure, manicure, facial, hair and makeup done and a stylist who selected a suitable outfit. I also had three nurses and a doctor visit to check my blood pressure, test my awareness and question me about my sickness. I couldn't even describe how thankful I was that the sickness seemed to have gone away...finally. It had taken the dizziness with it too which I was now realising was because of the blood pressure.

By full dark I looked like the queen that I was. They had dressed me in a very elegant yet sexy red satin ball gown. It fell to the floor and showed off my now even more bountiful breasts. My hair was in a diamond crusted pin and fell in ringlets down my back. I had been adorned with a simple gold tiara which had been made to match my locket and wedding ring. My nails were the same colour as the dress as were the strappy (but flat) sandals. My makeup was light mostly eye shadow and a bit of lipstick. To complete the look Frannie gave me a beautiful black silk wrap. It had black and gold sequins sown into the ends and was surprisingly warm which was, after all, the whole point.

"You look very regal," she said smiling at me approvingly. I smiled back and put my hand on my bump as I looked in the mirror. Sometimes I felt like there was someone else looking back at me. _What do you think baby? You think momma looks good?_ Astra answered by kicking up a storm so that I had to sit down for a minute. _My momma pretty._ I smiled pleased at her opinion.

"Thank you for all your help today Fran," I said and reached over to the top draw of my dresser. I pulled out the small blue box and passed it to her. "I want you to have this. It will go with your outfit." She was wearing a halter neckline gown with beading to the bust and skirt. The skirt flared out to the floor and the olive green colour suited her complexion perfectly. Her hair had just been left hanging lose over her shoulders. She looked much older than she was but her eyes sparkled with her youth.

"Oh Sookie it's so beautiful," she crooned jumping up to give me a hug. I helped her put the gold necklace on while she held her hair out of the way. The emerald tear drop pendant had called out to me while I had been browsing on the internet (one of the few things Eric would let me do from my bed).

"Well you have certainly earned it," I told her honestly. She had as well. She had worked like a real trooper while I had been bound to bed. She had sorted the diner. Completed all of my queen duties and she had helped Pam with the party. Not to mention the hundreds of thank you notes she had written, all by hand.

We headed down to the den where Eric was waiting for me. He had been banned from the bedroom today as Frannie wanted my transformation to come as some surprise to him. From the look on his face as I made my way down the stairs (being very careful not to trip as I could no longer see my feet) it was. His fangs ran down and he smiled mischievously at me. His eyes sparked and I could feel lust bombarding me from the bond. I had a similar reaction as I took in his James Bond appearance. Eric is always sexy but Eric in a tux is more than I can stand. My mouth watered at the sight and I began to realise tonight was going to be a major strain on our self-control. Well, _my_ self-control because Eric had proven over and over again that _he_ had none.

"Lover you look sensational. I want to fuck you in every position I can think of and then invent some new ones." I smiled at him; my eyes burning as I mentally undressed him. He chuckled and took my hand in his lacing our fingers together and pulling me to the door. "And if we don't leave now we won't make it out of the house tonight as you seem to feel the same way." I didn't say anything but instead kept up my ogling in a very brazen manner.

Once we were in the car (alone for once as Frannie was riding with one of the guards) Eric put up the divide and began to kiss me with passion. We didn't have time for much but we made the most of the time we had. He fingered me to a quick release and I reciprocated. When we pulled up at Fangtasia (where there was an honest to god red carpet) neither of us wanted to get out of the car.

"Aggrr," I moaned looking at the offending door as people headed inside.

"Come on lover. Let's get this over and done with. The faster we finish here the faster I can get you home and screw you silly." I kissed him once before climbing out over him. "You tease," he said slapping my ass.

We headed inside hands entwined and I felt my crazy smile snap in place at the attention. As soon as we came into view the music cut out and everyone got down on one knee. I repressed a sigh and let Eric lead me to our thrones. Once we were seated they all got up and the line formed. I was a little taken aback that they focused most of their attention on me rather than on Eric but he didn't seem to mind. It felt like we were meeting and greeting for hours. That was until my surprise showed up. I had been so focused on the person in front of me that I hadn't taken the time to scan the line so it wasn't until she was hugging me that I realised who Pam had smuggled to the party.

"Lucy!" I screamed like an excited school girl. They were all looking at me like I had gone mad but I didn't care what the hell they thought.

"Hey Sookie. I need to talk to you alone at some point but I see now is not the time," she smiled at me and looked along the line of people still waiting. Her accent was still evident but she looked much happier than before.

"Absolutely. I will find you when I have a minute." I kissed her on the cheek and she moved off to the dance floor. A waitress (wearing a white tux dress not the usual uniform) came and brought me a large glass of lemonade. I took a sip and continued with the meet and greet.

"Why Eric Northman you look awful handsome. Must be a family thing," said a vampire I had never met before. He was the spitting image of Eric accept an inch or so taller and his eyes were green rather than blue. He bowed to me in a very grand gesture and then rose to smirk at Eric. I felt a mixture of annoyance, anger, irritation, fear; joy and excitement swirl over the bond. I looked to my husband and saw that he was smiling broadly at the stranger.

"Hello Sigdan, it's been a while."

"Only ninety years. I believe your parting words were 'you are a disgrace to vampires everywhere and no brother of mine'. Is that anyway to say adieu to your brother, brother?" He was smiling back in that evil sort of way Eric did sometimes.

"You had burned my house down while high on fae blood...with five of my servants inside!" I could feel the irritation winning out over the excitement.

"Wait a cotton picking minute," I said holding my hands up in the standard 'wait' gesture. "Y'all are brothers? As in same mum and same dad, brothers?" Eric winced but Sigdan ignored it and nodded.

"Sigdan Rivers at your service Ma'am. I am betting this dolt has failed to mention me. I would take offence but I grew out of it centuries ago. Eric was always threatened by my superior charm and good looks." He gave me a wink and I giggled causing Eric to snarl. I felt Astra prepare to kick me taking major offence on her daddy's behalf. I decided affirmative action was needed. I stood up and climbed on Eric's lap. He helped lift me up and I placed his hands on my bump. I looked to Sigdan who watched me with curious eyes.

"Sorry Sigdan but you're making our daughter irritable. She is offended for her daddy and when she gets mad she kicks like a mother fucker."

"Sookie!" Eric scolded.

"What? You know it's true and while you love the little monster for getting all high and mighty I am the one that has to take the beating." He just smiled at me and rubbed my stomach. Sigdan was laughing his ass off at our exchange but Eric didn't seem to mind anymore.

"I am pleased that he has found a real woman at last. I was starting to think there was no one capable of putting him back in his place." I smiled and decided to bite the bullet. I wanted to know this stranger. He was funny and provided insight to a side of Eric I had never seen before.

"Where are you staying Sigdan? How long are you here for?" I could feel Eric tense but he didn't try and stop me.

"I am staying in a hotel and I haven't got any particular plans so there is no time frame. As long as it takes me to be banished I suppose." He wiggled his eyebrows at me and I giggled again.

"Well that won't do. I want to get to know you. You will come and stay with us. We have plenty of room." I took another sip of my drink and gave a polite scan of the crowd. Most people were either dancing or watching people dance.

"That is very kind of you. If I am welcome I would be most pleased to accept." He eyed Eric pointedly who was frowning back at him. I slapped Eric on the chest and he forced a smile.

"Of course you are welcome brother. Speak to Pam and she will make the arrangements." Sigdan bowed again and moved on to the bar where they were serving fresh blood.

Pam brought me a plate of food which I ate happily while she talked to Eric.

"Why the fuck did you get him here?" Eric demanded. She rolled her eyes and winked to me.

"All will be revealed when Bill arrives with Jason." Eric stood up and towered over her.

"I am warning you Pamela. I am not happy about this. You knew how I felt and you purposefully went behind my back." She looked straight back at him but I could feel her amusement wavering.

"I promise you I have good cause and if you will give me your trust you will not be disappointed master." He nodded and she ran off into the crowd.

"You didn't have to be so mean about it. I am pleased to meet your brother. I wish I had known you had one. How come you never mentioned him? Do you have any other family walking around that I should know about?" He lifted me up and pulled me back onto his lap. I was still munching on my food, enjoying the shrimp a little too much.

"No he is the only family I have left and I never mentioned him because I try very hard not to think about him. As far as older brothers go he makes yours look like a saint. He has a way of causing mayhem wherever he goes and, as he told you, the last time I saw him I disowned him." I thought about what he was saying and smiled. Eric had family drama.

"Do you mind him staying with us?" Eric brushed his hands along my arms making me shiver and he nuzzled his face into my neck to kiss me.

"No it will be good for us to make up and I know how you feel about family. Besides, if he causes trouble I am sure you will make him pay and _that_ is something I would love to see," Eric said the last bit with a wicked grin and I giggled at his logic. I finished eating and Eric put my plate down on the table beside him but it was only there a second as a waitress whipped it away replacing my drink at the same time.

We watched people dance and mingle and watch us while the music boomed all around us. I smiled at several faces as they caught my eye and decided I couldn't ignore my human needs any longer. I got up and headed to the bathroom after projecting my intention to Eric. He let me go and took the time to catch up with a few of the guests. Once I had finished in the toilets I called to Lucy to meet me in the office. I knew I would struggle to find time with her and I figured I would take advantage of my time alone.

I sat down in Eric's chair and smiled to myself at the pictures on the desk. Lucy came in and sat down opposite me.

"I am so happy for you Sookie. I never knew you would survive but I am pleased that you did." Her smile seemed different and I decided to ask her about it.

"You look different Lucy. What's happened to you? Why did you want to talk to me?" She fiddled with her necklace and looked at me with wide passionate eyes.

"I am finally free. Fate no longer needs me and I am free to live my own life without interference. You can't know how liberating that is after so many years being possessed and imprisoned in my own body. I have been learning the craft and I have a place in Baton Rouge. I am moving to America." She smiled excitedly at me. "I wanted to make sure you understood why the gods have not come to pay you tribute." I nodded.

"They have locked themselves in the other realm. I knew that. We are alone now," I said solemnly. I didn't want to think of the riots if people found out that the gods had left us to seek out life in the other realm. Realistically it didn't make much difference as they had hardly partaken in life on earth anyway but people wouldn't understand that either. They needed something to believe in and if they found out they were praying to the void they would lose all they had gained from their faith.

"Hardly. We still have you." She brushed her hair back and shifted in her seat. I could feel Eric growing impatient and I would have to return to the party soon.

"Why have you left the protection of the King of London? _How_ have you?" She smiled knowingly at me.

"He let me go thanks to the Ancient Pythoness. She is my mentor and she will be my maker one day, when I am ready." I nodded understanding and not needing to know anymore. I could feel Eric coming to find me and so I led Lucy out. Eric met me at the door.

"Your brother is here," he explained. He was strangely anxious which caught my attention straight away. We went back to our thrones and I gave Jason a big ole hug.

"Gosh Sook you're huge. You look good though. I am glad you invited me. I wasn't sure you wanted to see me after..." he frowned as if he was struggling to remember what he was going to say then shook his head and smiled at me.

"Hey Jason. I've missed you." I started to cry and he wrapped his arms around me again.

"Love ya sis," he whispered in my ear. I felt Astra squirm and he must have felt it too because he jumped back.

"Feisty one there. Just like her momma I s'pose." I smiled lovingly at him and he smiled back. It was a silent moment only siblings could share.

"You gotta go get summat to eat and have fun. I will see ya later." He hugged me one last time and kissed me on the cheek before heading out into the crowd. Eric was smiling at me with an amused expression.

"Lover why is it that you can be the most eloquent of rulers and yet when your brother walks in you return to the southern belle and talk like a yokel." I laughed and Bill joined in.

"What can I say?" I shrugged my shoulders. "I know who I am and where I came from." He pulled me to his lap and kissed me ever so lightly.

"Now Bill please could you explain why my brother is here," Eric's voice had turned hard as stone and cold as ice.

"I asked Pam to help me find something I could do for both of you that would show how much I care about you and how happy I am for you." He smiled at me with a warm expression and I could see he had been struggling with himself again. I wished he would stop beating himself up for everything he had done to me. I was over it and had forgiven him a long time ago.

"Bill you didn't need to..." He held a hand up to cut me off.

"Yes I did and so I located Sigdan because he could give me this," he handed me a ring. It was titanium with a Celtic knot on the face. In the centre of the knot was a small moonstone.

"It's beautiful," I said smiling up at him. His dark eyes seemed to relax at my words as if he had been carrying a heavy weight and he could finally rest.

"It is a magic ring. The only one of its kind and it is supposed to ensure the health of the baby while worn." I looked down at the ring and true enough I could feel the magic enclosed by it.

"And this is why I have to tolerate my fool of a brother?" Bill bowed to show his apology but I knew Eric wasn't really angry anymore. He was impressed by Bill's gesture and was starting to look forward to spending time with his brother.

"It is wonderful Bill. Thank you so much." I put the ring on my finger and leaned over to kiss him softly on the cheek. He bowed deeply and then sped off into the party. I turned to look at Eric.

"How long are you planning on making Pam pay for this?" He chuckled and wiggled his eye brows.

"As long as I can lover." I rolled my eyes and took his hand leading him to the dance floor. He tried to put up a fight but it was only for show. We danced to a slow song and by the end of it I was ready to jump him. All I could think about was having him inside me and I projected into his head images of exactly that. I felt him stiffen against me and growl.

_Lover, you don't fight fair. _

_ What are you going to do about it Viking?_ He led me out to the office and the door was barely closed before we were on each other. We kissed and groped like teenagers but we were careful not to ruin our clothes. My bump made it difficult so Eric leaned me over the desk holding me up by my hips and entered me from behind. I didn't need any preparation I was so ready for him and I couldn't hold back the groans as he slid in and out.

"Ah Eric," I moaned. He grunted before biting my shoulder and forcing me over the edge. My explosion brought him down with me and we ended up on the floor in each other's arms. I was panting hard and my heart was trying to break out of my chest.

"God I love you Sookie," Eric said stroking my hair and rubbing his hands over my bump. Astra was asleep and I felt my eyes growing heavy too.

We tidied ourselves up and returned to the party. We got a few smug looks but most of the guests politely ignored the scent of sex that was clinging to us. I sat on Eric's lap and we watched the party. I rested my head on his shoulder and smiled as I saw Jason was becoming very friendly with Lucy. I hoped he knew what he was getting himself into. She would eat him alive. I giggled as Sigdan swung Pam around the floor like a pro. She looked happier than I had seen in sometime. Quinn was dancing with his sister and I could see the admiration Frannie had for her brother. Even Bill looked like he was having a good time talking to a group of vamps from New York over a pint of blood. It was a good party and I became very relaxed. The last thing I remember was Eric chuckling and whispering in my ear.

"Let go my angel. Let go and rest my beautiful wife."


	22. Chapter 22

Chapter 22

I was looking at the kitchen window at the garden as I ate my breakfast.

"This is delicious Kale," I said with a smile as she poured me another cup of decaffeinated coffee. She had made me a bacon and egg roll and I was savouring every bite.

"I am glad you like it," she smiled before scurrying off to do some laundry.

"Are you sure we can't get you something to eat?" I asked Aislinn who was watching me eat from the other side of the breakfast bar. She had moved in the day before and was settling in really well. I took a moment to smile at how things were working out. Sigdan had come home with us last night and Jason was spending the night too having had too much to drink. I also suspected he wanted easier access to Lucy but I wasn't going to gripe if I got more time with my brother.

"No Ma'am. I don't eat in the morning."

"I told you to call me Sookie," I said yet again. She smiled at me and the sight was blinding. I could spend hours looking at her face she was like nothing I had ever seen before.

"Sookie it is true what they say about you. You are like no other ruler. You treat everyone like a friend and an equal." I smiled widely at her compliment.

"Well I am no better than anyone else and I would rather treat people as friends and live in a happy world than treat them like enemies and be plagued with hate and fear." I shrugged my shoulders. This was more philosophical than breakfast should be.

"You are very wise." I laughed so hard that I started choking. Eric raced into the room and I indicated I needed a drink. He got me a glass of water and I took a sip to clear my throat.

"Thanks sweetie," I said kissing him.

"Sookie?" He sat down beside me and placed his hand on my leg.

"Aislinn just made me laugh and I hand finished swallowing. She said I am very wise." Eric shared my amusement at such an inaccurate statement.

"Aislinn my wife is many things but I would not call her wise. Smart, witty, resourceful but not wise." She nodded to show she submitted to the big Viking. I internally frowned. She was obviously used to taking orders and being treated like a lesser being. It was going to take a while for her to see she was an equal in our home.

"What are you going to do while I am at Scarlet's?" I asked warming my hands on my hot cup and taking a slow sip.

"I am going to build the playhouse with some of the guards. Then I have some work to do in the office. We managed to raise fourteen million for the reconstruction of New Orleans and I wanted to talk to some of the contractors and get things going again." I frowned knowing him better than that.

"You mean you want to mess about in the garden then check up on Bill and Richard (sheriff of area one) and scare a few humans?" He laughed at my assessment of his day.

"Very astute lover," he kissed my cheek. "I suppose you will be slaving away all day with the tiger and his sister?" I shook my head.

"No Mr. Know it all, Frannie isn't going to be there. She is on her way to Boston today. She had to meet some of the council's day people for me. Quinn and I are going to be all alone as we interview waitresses and a cooks. Who knows what we will get up to?" His fangs ran down and he snarled before standing me up and pinning me to the wall. His face was so close to mine as he gazed into my eyes that it was almost scary.

"You are not going to get up to anything," he said in a very threatening voice.

"Oh? How can you be so sure?" I asked flirting and batting my eyelashes.

"Because my wonderful daughter will protect what is mine," he said with a wide proud smile. His lips crashed against mine and I flicked my tongue around his fangs causing him to groan in my mouth.

"Besides," he continued pulling away to look in my eyes again. "You love me far too much to cheat on me." He was so cocky. I swear he actually swaggered a little.

"True," I admitted because it was the truth and I couldn't deny it. He wiggled his eyebrows at me before pressing our lips together again.

"I have to go," I said pushing him away. He stepped back before moving back in for another kiss.

"But do you really want to go?" He asked. He was so evil. I knew what he was doing but the temptation was still excruciating.

"No! But I have to," I said huffily causing him to pull away with a wicked smile.

"See you later then," he said before dashing out into the garden. I looked up and saw that Aislinn had left at some point during our tease and I sighed. She was so timid but I could see it was from conditioning not a natural characteristic. I could see in her eyes that she was a strong and wilful creature but it had been beaten out of her. I hoped we could help her with that.

I got to the diner and Quinn was putting out salt and sugar dispensers on all of the tables. I helped him by putting out the ketchup and the menus. Looking around the diner now was even more rewarding. Quinn and Frannie had worked hard and it was ready to go all but the staff. I waddled to the duke box and selected a song while Quinn got us both a coffee (he would let me drink the real stuff) from the kitchen. The place was fully stocked now and we were scheduled to open in less than a week. We had just a few days to get the staff, sort a rota and complete all the training.

The first round of interviews was for a cook. Well, for three cooks. We needed a main cook, a weekend cook and a fill in cook that would switch off on the evening shifts with the main cook. When Gareth Small walked in I was certain we had found our main cook. He had been in my year at school and unlike most of the other kids he had treated me well. That was probably due to his own unique situation. He was a big man at 6'2" and he was built like a brick shit house. He was all muscle and his black hair was cropped close to his scalp. To look at he was scary but he was as soft as they came and had a wicked sense of humour. You couldn't help but laugh when you were around Gareth. So why did he have a unique situation? I hear you ask. He was gay. Nothing shocking or scandalous by today's standard but people in Bon Temps are nothing if not small minded and slow to evolve.

"Mucky Sookie!" He yelled running over to me and giving me a big ole hug.

"Daz Gaz!" I yelled back and we started to laugh. "Quinn this is Gareth Small. He went to school with me and took great delight in telling me a bit of Daz could clean me up when he found me in a muddy puddle after been pushed by some of the mean kids." They shook hands and the interview began. Gaz told nine jokes while we asked him question after question and I was laughing so hard by the end I had tears in my eyes. He even made Quinn laugh, especially when he started making jokes about vampires having heard about Eric. I promised him we would let him know by the end of the day but the second he walked out of the door Quinn turned to me with a huge smile.

"We need him." I nodded and started to dial so that I could tell him the good news straight away. We managed to fill all of the positions by lunchtime and so we stopped to have a bite to eat before starting work on the rota. I was just walking to the office to collect the file on our staff while Quinn finished sorting the letters and contracts for all the new starts. I had reached the desk when the first pain hit.

"AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" I screamed. It was a blinding pain that shot through my stomach and up my spine. It wasn't the worst pain I had ever felt but it was still debilitating. Quinn came charging in at the sound of my screams.

"What is it?" He said with panic in his voice. Men! Give them a mob of thugs and they are happy to fight to the death but give them a pregnant woman and they panic like a little girl.

"Something's," I took a gasp of air through the pain, "Wrong." I took another breath and screamed a little. "Hospital." I told him and he lifted me in his arms and marched me to his car. He dumped me in the back seat of the Lincoln and I curled up as much as I could and screamed. I knew he was driving faster than the legal limit but it still wasn't fast enough for me. My phone started to ring and I knew who it was without looking. I forced my hand to move from my bump and take the phone out of my pocket.

"Eric going to hospital," I said before screaming again.

"What happened? Is Quinn taking you?" He was frantic having felt my pain over the bond.

"Quinn driving," I panted and screamed again. "Meet us." Another wave of cramps hit then and I dropped the phone on the floor to clutch my tummy and scream again.

"Almost there babe," Quinn promised me.

When we reached the hospital Quinn pulled me out and carried me inside. The little receptionist led him up the stairs and down a long corridor before opening a set of double oak doors. He carried me inside and placed me carefully on a bed. It was a proper bed and I was in a green room that was filled with lights and medical gear that I didn't know the use of. I didn't have much chance to take in my surroundings though because the pain was getting worse and I was screaming at the top of my lungs.

"Wait downstairs," the doctor ordered and I heard her breathing by my ear but I couldn't turn my head to look. I felt a stab in my arm but compared with my other pains it was negligible.

"What's wrong with her?" Eric shouted and I felt the right side of the bed indent as a cold hand seized mine. I gripped it tight as I screamed out at another cramp.

"Her body is rejecting the pregnancy but as the child has developed faster than normal she can't wash her system clean as she would normally." I screamed again and I felt another stab in my arm. This one brought with it a numbing sensation that started to spread and after a few minutes it reached my stomach and I stopped screaming. I felt like I had been hit by a bus and I wanted to drift away but I forced my eyes to stay open. My face was hot and my eyes were stinging.

"What are you going to do?" Eric asked and for once he sounded like he was actually asking rather than threatening. He was really scared and I rubbed my thumb over his hand to try and comfort him. It was all I had the strength to do.

"I am going to perform a C-section. Your daughter is ready to come out and if we don't hurry your wife will die." If she had sounded at all upset or worried I think I would have lost the fight with my eyes but she sounded so matter-of-fact that it gave me the will to keep fighting. I heard a scrapping of wood on wood and the little doctor's face appeared over mine.

"Now little girl, this is going to hurt...a lot but we don't have time to waste so you are just going to have to be brave and suck it up, right." I nodded slightly.

"Save Astra!" I ordered. I didn't care what happened to me but my daughter had to live. The dwarf smiled at me for a second and then she was gone. I felt her cutting away my dress and rubbing something cold and sticky on my bump. Then I felt the knife and I screamed like a banshee. I felt every slice and prod and tear. She cut me open and I felt two small hands inside me as she took my daughter away from me. It wasn't until I heard the crying of a baby that my own screams stopped and I let the darkness take me.


	23. Chapter 23

Chapter 23

It took an hour and it was one of the worst hours of my life. I had raced to the hospital after hearing her agonised explanation over the phone. I cursed not being able to take to the skies during daylight hours and ran as fast as I had ever run.

When I reached the hospital I could hear her screams coming down the stairs. I dashed to her side and took her hand in mine. She was pale and her skin was covered in a sheen of sweat. Looking at her tortured expression was like cutting out my heart and staking it. The doctor injected her and I asked what was going on with trepidation. I noticed that the ring Compton had given her was glowing and I hoped that it would work and keep my daughter safe but when Ludwig gave her verdict my hope crumpled.

I just sat like a statue holding her hand and sending as much strength over the bond as I could. She was shielding me from her end but I hoped she could still feel me. I watched helplessly as the knife touched her. I had to lock my body down to keep from tearing the dwarf's arms off for bringing such an object near my love. She screamed over and over at the pain but she never told her to stop and I could see that she was fighting with all her will to keep her eyes open and remain conscious. My little warrior to the end.

The doctor took out a bundle covered in Sookie's blood and handed it to a nurse who was waiting with a white cloth. She tuned and began to do something with a plastic device. It wasn't long after that my daughter cried for the first time. A part of me felt a wave of love and devotion surge through my body but the slightly larger part was fixed in terror. I watched, resisting the need to go and hold my offspring, as the doctor swabbed and stitched up my wife. I could still hear her heart but she had lost the fight to the darkness.

"Your daughter is healthy, congratulations. We are going to have her taken to be cleaned up and we need to do a few tests on her." The doctor was talking to me wearily but I couldn't care that she was afraid of me right now. Sookie was still unconscious and caked in her own blood. I nodded and then asked the question burning my lips.

"What about my wife?" The dwarf narrowed her eyebrows and I beat down the sob I felt bubbling in my chest.

"She has suffered a great deal. I have repaired the damage that was caused getting your daughter out and I am hopeful that she will make a full recovery. I would advise you give her your blood to help her heal but we will just have to wait and see. I must tell you Mr. Northman, this was no normal birth. The combination of your wife's magic, your child's magic, the magic of the ring (which certainly saved your daughter's life by the way) and your wife's humanity which was in conflict with the magic has meant that she has suffered supernatural trauma. I am sure your blood will help her body heal but there is no guarantee that she will find her way back. We just have to be patient." I nodded and the doctor left me alone with my wife. I brushed back the hair that had stuck to her face and kissed her lightly on the lips. She didn't respond. I bit into my wrist and smeared the blood over her now flat stomach. The blood mixed with hers and the combination of our joined blood made a unique cocktail that began to heal her until she was left with a smooth, flat stomach that showed no sign of ever bearing a child. I bit into my wrist again and tried to get her to drink. Most of the blood spilt over her chest and face and I had to reopen my wrist several times but I managed to get her to swallow a few mouthfuls.

Once she was healed I began licking the blood off her. I couldn't enjoy the taste of her knowing what I knew but I made sure that she was clean. A nurse came in and deposited a bowl of warm water and a wash cloth along with a hospital gown on the bed. She left without a word and I took up the cloth and washed my lover until she was free of all traces of blood, saliva and sweat. I took off her ruined clothes with great care and slipped the gown on her fragile body. She was so warm and soft. Her heartbeat was much stronger and even though she remained motionless I could hear the life humming out of her. Vital and strong.

I spent several hours listening to her heart and steady breath. Only once was I disturbed as the nurse asked me if I wanted to see Astra but I told her I wouldn't leave my wife. She offered to bring my daughter to me but I refused. Sookie would kill me if she found out I let Astra see her like this. Besides, I wouldn't want my baby to feel what I was feeling right now and knowing how possessive she was of her mother she was bound to share my pain. No, it was her first day in the world and she should be spared any suffering.

I spent the next few hours stroking her hair and singing to her. There was still no response and I still could not feel her over the bond. Every now and then I would feel a sob bubble up but I beat them all down. A distant part of my brain was making plans in case she didn't wake up. I wanted to make sure Astra would be loved and well cared for in the absence of her parents. I didn't even try and convince myself that I would stay if Sookie did not. I knew I had no such option. After several hours of fighting these dark thoughts my despair finally broke me down.

"Sookie, love, please come back to me," I begged. A few bloody tears fell and I lifted her still form over my lap and held her up in my arms. "I love you so much. You have to come back to me Sookie. Please, come back. Just come back." I rocked us gently as I cradled her to my chest. The breath warmed my skin and I closed my eyes to breathe in her perfect smell. She was still alive and I clung to that fighting the endless black hole away with the smallest spark of hope. I had feared this from the second I had found out we would have a child. I knew she would not regret giving her life to bring Astra to the world. No mother ever had, at least no decent mother, but that hadn't changed my fear. I had seen too many die in childbirth. I had seen too much pain and suffering but nothing to what I had witnessed her go through for our daughter. She was so much trouble and did everything the hard way.

I rocked us forwards and backwards as her heart beat like a drum. I didn't look at the clock. Time was meaningless. I held her. I listened to her. I cried and begged her to come home. She was my best friend. She was the best part of myself. She was my conscious, my heart, my life. She was my universe and I loved her from the highest point of ecstasy to the lowest point of grief.

"Sookie, my angel," I whispered in her ear. "I'm here. I've got you. I won't ever leave you."

"Eric?" She moaned and I saw the brilliant blue of the sky in her eyes.


	24. Chapter 24

Chapter 24

"Sookie, my angel," He whispered in my ear calling me home. "I'm here. I've got you. I won't ever leave you."

"Eric?" I moaned feeling groggy. I was curled up in Eric's arms and it took a moment for me to work out where I was. It all came flooding back in a rush and I panicked. "Where's Astra?" I gasped terrified for my daughter. I could feel she was no longer inside me.

"She safe," he told me between kisses. He was kissing me all over and I felt relief and love washing over him. I thought about it for a minute and realised that even though I couldn't feel Astra inside me I could still feel her. She was sleeping and very happy.

"What happened?" I asked but Eric was too busy with his kissing to answer me. My answers could wait. I kissed him back and clutched him close. He had been scared and alone. He needed to feel me alive and well. He needed me to comfort him so that's what I did.

About an hour later Eric was comforted, I had my answers and we were lying in each other's arms letting love flow between us.

"I want to hold her," I told him as my fingers played with his and my eyes scanned the ceiling of the green room. At that moment Doctor Ludwig came in carrying her. I sat up and held my arms out. She passed her to me without a word and I cradled the sweet little girl to my chest. She was so beautiful. Even more beautiful than Eric which was near impossible. Her little blue eyes met mine and she smiled. Her chubby cheeks sticking out. Her hair was already perfectly golden matching both Eric and me. She held out a hand and I put my finger in her palm so she could fist around it. She gripped it and giggled softly. I felt Eric behind me, holding my waist and marvelling at the beauty of his daughter over my shoulder.

"Astra you are the most beautiful creature in existence," I cooed. I leaned down to kiss her on the forehead and she projected into my mind.

_My momma. Love you most. _I laughed lightly.

"No sweetie. I love _you_ the most." Her tiny eyes fluttered and closed and she drifted off to sleep. I turned to look at Eric and he was watching us with tender eye and a soft doting smile.

"You are magnificent Sookie." He reached around me and kissed Astra on the head in the same place I had. "Sleep well pumpkin and dream sweet dreams." He lifted me on to his lap and held me while I held Astra.

"Kuh-hum," the doctor coughed to draw our attention. My eyes flashed away from my beautiful daughter to reluctantly land on the dwarf's amused face.

"You will be pleased to know all the standard tests have been done and your daughter is perfect. I still don't know what causes her rapid growth but it is of no consequence. You will be able to take her home tomorrow. I just want to keep you both in one more night for observation. Better safe than sorry." Eric nodded to the doctor and she took that as her dismissal.

"Thank you," I called and she turned to give me a wink before walking out of the door.

Eric and I sat like that for a long time just marvelling at her. We were a family. A happy family. It was the best day of my life.

Our peace was disturbed by a long string of visitors. Quinn and Frannie were first and I found out that Quinn had been waiting in reception for the entire seventeen hours. He told us that the waiting room was full but that they were only allowed to come in two at a time. They both congratulated us and I thanked him for getting me to the hospital. Eric even shook his hand leaving him stunned. Frannie told me that she had sent out an announcement that the baby had been born and she was taking messages of congratulations around the clock.

Jason and Lucy came in next and I was pleased to see the effect she was having on him. You could say that she had bewitched my brother. He was more responsible and affectionate than I had ever seen him before but Lucy was good and she seemed just as besotted by him so I was pleased for them. They both wished us well and Jason held Astra with the proud eyes of an uncle. He promised to stop by once we were settled back at home and I got the warm feeling I would be seeing a lot more of my older brother.

Sam, Amelia, Alcide and even Arlene stopped by to say congratulations. I was amazed when Claude and Claudine came into the room. Claude was even polite. They told me Nial was unable to come but he would be visiting us soon. They praised Astra saying she was the epitome of fae beauty which pissed Eric off but he didn't say anything knowing, in part, they were right and any comment would offend me.

Next came Pam and Bill. We both thanked them profusely and Bill was very pleased that his gift had saved us but refused any attempt for us to repay him. Pam was pleased that the success of the ring got her out of the dog house with Eric and she even held Astra and changed her into a little pink Prada dress she just happened to bring with her. Astra remained asleep for all of the visitors until the very last one walked in.

"Hello Sigdan," I said with a smile. He gave us a very low bow and then a cheeky smile.

"Majesties. How is the latest member of the clan?" Astra giggled up at him and I saw something flash in his eyes. "Wow." He looked stunned and Eric chuckled at his brother.

"She is something special, isn't she brother?" Sigdan didn't seem to want to look away but he forced his eyes up to Eric.

"That's an understatement. Well done Sookie. I believe I can no longer claim to be the most beautiful member of our family." He kissed me on the cheek and then kissed Astra.

_Uncle Dan hold._ I smiled and looked up to Sigdan.

"She wants you to hold her," I told the vampire. He looked a little scared and I felt Eric tense behind me but I ignored them both and held her out to him. "Just make sure you support the head," I explained. He cradled her on one arm and her head rested in his hand. She giggled with excitement at being in her uncle's arms and the look of tender devotion on his face reminded me of the way Eric looked at me sometimes. He began rocking her instinctively and singing a song I didn't recognise in Old Norse. Eric joined him and I felt the love and happiness hit me from Eric and Astra in equal measure. The song seemed to go on forever and by the end Astra was drifting back to sleep. Sigdan handed her back to me and stood watching for a few seconds before speaking.

"I envy you," he said finally.

"If I were you I would envy me too," Eric told him but he wasn't being provocative just agreeing with a valid observation.

"You might not be a father but you are still part of this family and I think Astra is rather fond of her uncle Dan. You can stick around and compete with Jason for the role of favourite uncle if you want to," I pointed out. Both Eric and Sigdan laughed, being quiet so as not to wake Astra.

"I don't think that will be much of a competition," Eric said confidently. He shared an arrogant glance with his brother and they were wearing matching shit eating grins.

"Oh, really? Well Jason is good with kids and he has Mr Comedy in his armoury. What do you have?" I challenged with a wicked smile.

"A thousand years worth of stories, songs, jokes and advice not to mention a brilliant sense of humour and the ability to teach every skill needed in battle." He was staring me down the way cocky vampires do and I noticed Eric's eyes flashed with excitement at the thought of teaching Astra how to wield a sword with his brother.

"Hmm Jason better watch out then," I said with a smile. Sigdan spent quite a bit of time with us and we managed to get him to agree to stay with little persuasion. When he did finally leave I was relieved to have time just the three of us. Eric held Astra for a while and I let my eyes rest but I couldn't sleep for long because I was so excited about taking her home and seeing her in the nursery.


	25. Chapter 25

Chapter 25- Epilogue

I was shocked at how quickly things settled. We took Astra home and everyone who saw her fell in love. She could project her thoughts and feelings and wrap everyone around her tiny little finger. Eric was the worst and he spent hours playing with her when he should have been working. Once she even managed to project to him she was bored while he was in a meeting at Fangtasia and he came racing home to play.

Aislinn was a wonderful nanny and they bonded really well but it took me a few months to be able to leave her and go to work. Everyone was really patient with me and worked around it. Frannie was a god send as she moved between the house and the diner to keep me up to date. Eric and I spent a lot of time at home for the first few weeks and everyone we cared about came to visit and spend time with Astra. I even took Astra to the opening of the diner which was a major success.

Astra was developing so quickly that after a few months she could walk and talk like a four year old. It was a bit scary watching her childhood race by like that but she was always happy and surrounded by people who loved her. I took great delight that she only grew more possessive of me and it was clear to everyone that she loved me more than anyone. It also pleased me that I was the only one who had total control over her powers although she always did as Eric told her. Eric had pictures of her taken all the time and our house was littered with them. I even put a few up in Scarlet's and he hung some in Fangtasia.

Sigdan won the competition for favourite uncle although it was a close call. I was very happy that the brothers managed to put the past behind them and aside from several practical jokes Eric was happy to have his brother live with us too. The funniest practical joke ended with both Sigdan and Eric in the pool, fully dressed. Astra had caught Sigdan trying to get her daddy and used her telekinesis for a little pay back. Jason came over all the time now and I wasn't very surprised when he announced he was going to marry Lucy. They had spent every free second together in the last couple of months.

I soon learned that Pam and Sigdan had history when they picked up where they had left off. Eric wasn't very happy about that to begin with but once he saw how happy they both were he gave them a little space.

We went on the trips to Disney and Aqua land and Astra loved it. It was great being able to spend time together as a regular family and Eric seemed to enjoy the new experiences as much as her.

All in all life was busy but as perfect as it can get. We eventually managed to settle into a routine and while Eric and I worked Astra was home schooled and learnt how to control her powers. She sometimes came to work with each of us and I sometimes spent time with Eric at the bar rather than at the diner. We always made time to be together at home and movie night on Thursdays we were joined by the whole gang. No one even minded the choice of films. My SM duties required me to travel a bit as I attended meetings with the government to make laws for supes and I had to judge a few trials too but the family always travelled with me.

I still had eight months left of my year but Eric and I had decided it was time he turned me. I was back to full strength but with the pressures of being SM we agreed the stronger I was the better. I knew Eric had been waiting a long time to turn me and I was finally ready. I had the life I always dreamed of. It was perfect and I wanted forever to spend with my family. The date was set for my birthday and everything was ready. Eric was taking me to our house in Sweden for a week and Astra would be looked after by the gang. They were literally arguing over who got to spend the most time with her and we both knew that she would be spoiled more than normal in the week we were away which made leaving her a little easier.

"Are you ready to join me my love?" Eric asked as the plane took off.

"I joined you a long time ago Eric. I am ready to never leave you." He smiled and kissed me.

"As I will never leave you." I knew it was the truth because through everything, through an apocalypse, death, beatings, rapes, kidnapping, illness, madness, war and pregnancy he never had. He had stayed and I had always come back. We belonged together...forever.

The End.


	26. wonderful news

**Wonderful news!**

Greetings to all and HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Just wanted to shamelessly let you know that you can find my new book Triquetra Ascension (The Triquetra Trilogy) on Amazon kindle. /author/ljclark

Also, it has been asked if my original fiction will be available in any other form than on Kindle. Unfortunately, at this time, the answer is no. I may look into other formats in the future, but I have agreed to remain exclusively on Amazon for at least the next three months. I don't see this changing anytime soon.

Finally, I am planning on working away at Cure of Being Me, so I hope to update soon. Stay posted.

As always, thanks for reading.

L J Clark xx


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